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l^ - 1 • 







SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

BURP:AU of AMERICAN ETHNOJ^OGY 

BULLETIN 45 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 




BY 



FRANCES DENSMORE 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1910 



'N 



^^1 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Smithsonian Institution, 
Bureau of American Ethnology, 

^yasllington, D. C, July 8, 1909. 
Sir: For the greater part of the last two years Miss Frances Dens- 
more has been engaged, under the auspices of this Bureau, in making 
a study of Indian music. The results of her labors are embodied in 
part in the paper which I have the honor to present herewith — 
"Chippewa Music." I suggest the publication of this material as 
Bulletin 45 of the Bureau's series. 
Yours very respectfulh', 

(Signed) W. H. Holmes, Chief. 

Tiio Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

Washingioii, 1>. ('. 
in 



FOREWORD 



The purpose of the present work is to determine what constitutes 
the music of the Chippewa Indiana, and to record results in such a 
manner that they will be available for reference. By means of the 
phonograph it is possible to obtain an accurate record of Indian song, 
which, though permanent, is of necessity limited in scope. To the 
])honogi"aph record and its analysis must therefore be added abundant 
field notes, giving the results of observations of the musical per- 
formances, together with descriptions of circumstances and surround- 
ings. These three — phonograph record, analysis, and field notes — 
ai'B the necessary data of this branch of research. 

The study of Indian music is more than the collection of Indian 
songs. It includes a consideration of the vocal expression of a mental 
concept; therefore incorrect repetitions of a song are as significant as 
correct repetitions. Into their value enters a human element — the 
])ersonality of the singer. A person of musical gifts and proficiency 
frccjuently presents a rendition of a song which contains embellish- 
ments. These reveal the succession of tones especially pleasing to 
the native singer. A person of little musical talent presents an im- 
])erfect rendition of a song, yet these imperfections are interesting. 
They indicate which phase of the song was most difficult for him to 
acquire and remember, the melody or the rhythm. 

The analysis of the Chippewa songs from the land of june trees, lakes, 
and hills, in northern Minnesota, shows that in them the descending 
interval of the minor third occurs with special prominence and fre- 
quency; that the majority of the songs begin with a downward pro- 
gression; and that the intervals of melodic progression are smaller 
in the older songs. A classification of the songs as melodic and har- 
monic reveals a possibility that the mental concept of the song has a 
direct bearing on the form assumed by the melody. The songs 
said to have been composed during dreams may be considered a spon- 
taneous expression. The majority of these songs are harmonic in 
structure. The songs whose character and use suggest that their 
form may have been modified by long repetition are found to be prin- 
ci])ally melodic in structure. 

The value of any specific work lies in the relation of that work to 
the problems presented by the subject as a whole. Beyond the study 
of Indian music lies the larger field of research, the development of 
music, to which the piesent work is tributary. 

Red Wing, Minn. 



CONTENTS 



Lit^t of Bougs : Page 

1 . Arranged iu order of serial numbers xi 

2. Arranged in order of catalogue numbers x v 

General description of songs 1 

Introduction I 

Intonation 4 

Rhythm 5 

Tone material 7 

Structure 8 

Tabulated analysis of 180 songs 8 

Musical instruments 1 L 

The Mide^ : 13 

Beliefs ] 3 

Songs ] 4 

Use of medicine , 20 

Origin 21 

Description of diagram representing the ])ath of life 24 

Initiation ceremony of the first degree 24 

( 'eremony for a dying chief 51 

Songs for initiation into the sixth degree 55 

Ceremonial songs 62 

Series 1 — analysis 62 

Series 2 — analysis 66 

Series 3 — analysis 70 

Series 4 — analysis 74 

Songs to insure success 82 

Love-charm songs 88 

Songs connected with the cure of the sick <)2 

Songs connected with rare medicines 95 

Additional Mide' songs 106 

Tabulated analysis of 90 Mide' songs 115 

Social songs on White Earth and Leech Lake reservations 118 

Ina'bijndjigan D nagumo'win (dream songs) 118 

1 . Songs of the doctor 119 

2. Song of the juggler ] 23 

3. Dream songs afterward used as war songs or otherwise I2(i 

Tabulated analysis l;^(i 

-Miga'diwin'ina'gumo^win (war songs) 137 

Tabulated analysis 140 

Sa'gii'diwin'ina^gumo'win (love songs) 148 

Tabulated analysis I55 

Ata'diwin'ina'gumo^win (moccasin-game songs) 156 

Tabulated analysis 159 

Unclassified songs I dl 

Tabulated analysis 1 (jj 

VII 



VITI CONTENTS 



Si k ial songs on Red Lake reservation 166 

Description of the dances, costumes, and celebration on Jnly 4, G, and 7, 

1908 166 

The singers of Red Lake 173 

War songs 176 

Tabulated analysis 180 

Love songs 1^2 

Tabulated analysis 185 

Moccasin-game songs 186 

Tabulated analysis 191 

Woman's-dance songs 192 

Tabulated analysis 196 

Unclassified songs 198 

Tabulated analysis ^Oti 



Inde: 



211 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 
Plate 1 Musical instruments, and birfh-bark rolls containing mnemonics of 

songs 11 

2. Musical instruments 11 

3. Maiii^ans 25 

4. WaViekiini'is: 25 

5. Mide' lodge 36 

6. Maiii'ans as leader of a Mide' ceremony 37 

7 . The body of Nigan'ibmes' 55 

8. De'bwawenMiink 55 

9 . Ge'mi wiinac' 95 

10. Chippewa doctor treating the sick 120 

1 1 . Manido'gicigo'kwf 148 

12. The Fourth of July at Red Lake agency 168 

FiGURK 1. Mide^ writing 16 

2. Mide^ song writing 17 

3. Mide' diagram of the path of life 24 

4. Diagram showing arrangement of Mide'wigan during initiation cere- 

mony of first degree. (Drawn by the elder Maiii^ans) 39 

5. Diagram showing course followed by leader during initiation cere- 

mony of first degree 40 

6. Diagram showing course followed by candidate, escorted by leader, 

in dance at Mide' initiation ceremony of first degree 42 

7. Birch-bark rolls containing mnemonics of the songs connected with 

rare medicines, and used by O^deni'gun when singing these songs . 100 

8. Bones used by Chippewa doctor in treating the sick 120 

IX. 



LIST OF SONGS 
1. Arranged in Order of Serial XuiMbeks 



Midk' Songs 

Initiation Soitgs of the First (itid Second Degrees 
Serial ' Catalogue 

no. no.a Page 

1 . SoiiK of the four bears 189 27 

2. Song of the manido' 238 30 

3. Dancing song 239 31 

4 . Preparatory song 190 32 

5. 'My pan of food " 240 34 

(1. 'My pipe " 241 35 

7 . Processional o4 37 

S . Introductory song 55 39 

9. Song of the za'gimag' 242 41 

10. Escorting the candidate 237 42 

11 . First initiation song 61 45 

12. Second initiation song 62 46 

13. Third initiation song 63 47 

14. Urst song of the feast 65 49 

15. Second song of the feast 66 50 

Initiation Songs of the Sixth Degree 

16. First song 122 56 

1 7 . Second song 123 57 

18. Third song 124 58 

19. Fourth song 125 59 

20. Fifth song 126 60 

21. Sixth song 127 60 

22. Seventh song 128 (il 

23. Eighth song 129 61 

24. Ninth song 130 62 

Ceremonial Songs 



Series 1 



Serial 
no. 

25 . . . 

26.. 

27 ... 

28... 

29... 



Catalogue 
no. 

.. 16 



17 
J8 
19 
20 



I'age 
63 
64 
64 
64 
65 



Serial 
no. 

30 . . . 

31 ... 

32 ... 

33 ... 

34 ... 



CalalogUf' 



10. 


rage 


21 


65 


22 


65 


23 


66 


24 


66 


25 


t)6 



« See footnote, p. 27. 



XI 



xir 



LIST OF SONGS 



Series 2 



35 
36 
37 

38 



43 
44 
45 
46 



51 
52 
53 
54 
55 



CataIogu<! 
no. 

.. 26 

.. 27 

. . 28 

. . 29 



Page 
67 
67 
68 

68 



Serial 
no. 

39 ... 

40... 

41 ... 

42 ... 



Catalogue 
no. 

. . 30 

. . 31 

. . 32 

. . 33 



Series 3 



34 
35 
36 
37 



42 
43 
44 
45 
46 



71 
71 

72 

79 



47 
48 
49 
50 



Series 4 



75 
76 
76 
76 
76 



56 
57 
58 
59 
60 



38 
39 
40 
41 



47 

48 
49 
50 
51 



61 . Initiation song 69 

62. Initiation song .• 70 

63. Initiation song 254 

64. Initiation song 67 

Songs to Insure Success 

65. Hunting song (a) 56 

66. Hunting song (6) ■. 57 

67 . Hunting song (c) 58 

68. Hunting song {d) •. 59 

69. Hunting song (e) 60 

70. Song for securing a good supply of maple sugar 64 

7 1 . Love-charm song (a) 73 

72. Love-charm song {h) (not transcribed ) 74 

73. Love-charm song (c) 75 

74. Love-charm song {d) 76 

75. Love-charm song '. 52 

76. Love-charm song 53 

Songs connected with the Cure of the Sick' 

77 . Healing song 78 

7S. Healing song 79 

79. Healing song 71 

80. Healing song 14 

Songs connected irith Rare Medicines 

S 1 . Song of the flying feather 191 

82. Song of the man who succeeded 192 

83. Song of a scalp dance 193 

84. Song of good medicine 194 

85. Song of the crab medicine-bag 195 

86. Song of the fire-charm 197 

87 . Song of starvation 199 

88. Song of the owl medicine 200 



Page 
69 
69 
70 
70 



73 
73 

74 
74 



78 
78 

79 
80 
81 
81 



83 
84 
84 
85 
86 
87 
89 
90 
90 
90 
91 
92 



93 
93 
94 
95 



97 
9S 
99 
100 
102 

io;i 

104 
105 



LIST OF SONGS XIII 

Additional M%d(' Songs 
Serial Catalogue 

no. no- ''ane 

89. Song of the bear path 236 lOlJ 

90. "They are making me old" 248 107 

91. "To the spirit land" 253 108 

92. "I will sing " < -255 109 

93. "I am walking" 256 110 

94. "There are spirits " (not transcribed) 1 1 1 1 

95. "They think me unworthy" (not transcribed) 2 111 

96. "The water birds will alight" (not transcribed) 3 111 

97. "The sky clears" (not transcribed) 4 112 

98. "I walk in a circle" (not transcribed) 5 112 

99. "Our dwelling is royal" (not transcribed) 6 113 

100. "Vermilion, I sing of thee" (not transcribed) 7 113 

101. "There stands a man" (not transcribed) 8 113 

102. " I stand " (not transcribed) 9 113 

103. "I am named" (not transcribed) 10 114 

104. "I am unable to harmonize my voice" (not transcribed) 11 114 

105. "They are feasting with me" (not transcribed) 12 114 

106. "The sound is fading away" (not transcribed) 13 115 

107. "You are a spirit" (not transcribed) 15 115 

Social Songs on White Earth and Leech Lake Reservations 
Ina'hundpgan na^gumo^win {Dream Songs) 

108. Doctor's song 244 121 

109. "I go to the big bear's lodge" 245 121 

110. "Going around the world*' 246 122 

111. The Song of Ce'de6ns' (Juggler's song) 213 125 

112. Song of the trees 206 126 

113. Song of the Thunders 207 127 

114. "My voice is heard" 208 128 

115. '■ The approach of the storm " 209 129 

116. " As the hawk soars " 210 1.30 

117. " In the southern sky " 211 132 

118. "Manido' listens to me" 212 132 

119. Song of the crows 260 133 

120. Song of the deserted warrior 259 134 

121 . "I am afraid of the owl '" 261 135 

Miga'diwln'ina'g'dmo'unn {War Songs) 

122. (No words) ". 179 i^g 

123. (No words) 182 138 

124. (No words) 205 139 

125. (No words) 215 139 

126. Little Eagle's song 229 140 

127. (No words) 230 141 

128. Song of the loons 271 142 

129. " I will start before noon " 276 143 

130. Song of Cimau^ganic 277 143 

131. "The shifting clouds" 114 145 

132. Scalp dance 116 146 



XIV LIST OF SONGS 

Sa'gii'diirKn^inu'g'dmo'irin {Lore Songs) =• 

Serial Catalogue 

no. no. Page 

133. (No words) 98 148 

134. (No words) 99 149 

1 35. ' ' My love has departed " 101 150 

13(i. "Why should I b<^ jealous? " 104 151 

1 37. ■' I do not care for you any more " 10(5 152 

13S. -'Do not weep".... 107 152 

]:')(). "He must be sorrowful" 110 153 

140. '-When I think of him " 2(j2 154 

141 . { No words) 275 1.54 

.1 1 u^ dui'h}' ina^ g^Lmo' vm ( Moccasin-game Songs) 

142. (No words) 112 157 

143. (No words) 181 158 

144. "If I am beaten" ■ 203 158 

145. "I have come after your stake " 224 159 

Vnclassified Songs 

146. Call to the dance 105 Kil 

147. "I am as brave as other men " : 109 162 

148. ' ' My music reaches to the sky' ' 274 1 02 

149. Lullaby 102 163 

150. Farewell to the warriors 103 1()3 

151 . Song of thanks for a pony (a) 91 164 

152. Song of thanks for a pony (6) 92 164 

153. Song of thanks for a pony (c) 93 . 165 

Social Soxes ox Red L.\ke Reservatiox 

War Songs 

154. (No words; 131 176 

155. "Inside the cave" 140 177 

156. (No words) 172 177 

157. (No words) 173 178 

158. (No words) 178 178 

159. Scalp song (no words) 146 178 

160. Scalp song (no words) 147 179 

161 . Scalp song (no words) 167 179 

162. "The sky replies" 166 180 

Lore Songs 

163. (No words) 161 1S2 

164. (No words) 155 182 

165. "In her canoe" 157 183 

166. "I am going away " 151 183 

167. "Come, let us drink" 152 184 

Moccasin-game Songs 

168. (No words) 133 186 

169. (No words) 142 187 

1 70. (No words) 144 187 

171. (No words) 148 188 

172. (No words) 171 188 

173. (No words) 174 188 



LIST OF SONGS 



XV 



Serial Catalogu.' 

no. ""■ • '*K*' 

174. (No words) 150 1S9 

175. "He gave us a double ciaek " 134 189 

176. " I am standing till daylight " 143 190 

Woman' s-ddiur Soiuj-s 

177. "I have been waiting"' 132 192 

178. "Come, dance" 175 193 

179. (No words) 135 193 

180. (No words) 141 194 

181. (No words) 153 194 

182. (No words) 154 195 

183. (No words) 159 195 

184. (No words) 177 195 

185. "Where are you V '' 86 19(i 

Un classified Songs 

186. Song referring to an historical incident 139 1 9 ^ 

187. Song of the begging dance 149 1 9:i 

188. Song of the begging dance 170 200 

189. Song of thanks for a gift 168 201 

190. Song of thanks for a gift 169 201 

191. Song of thanks for a pony 136 202 

192.. Friendly song (a) 160 202 

193. Friendly song (6) 162 203 

194. Friendly song ((■) 163 204 

195. Friendly song ((/) 164 204 

196. Song referring to a vision 138 205 

197. Song of We^nabo^jo 272 206 

198. Dream song— duplicate of no. 115 (209) 108 208 

199. Song of thanks for a pony— duplicate of no. 152 (92) 137 209 

200. Love song— duplicate of no. 138 (107) 145 .209 

2. Arraxgei) in Order of Catalogue Numbers 



Cata- 
logue 
no. 


Name of singer. 


Desi riptioii of song. 


Title of song. 


1 

Serial Page 

no. no. 


1 


Gegwe'djiwe'blnufi' . . . 

do 

do 

do 

do 

neda'bieac' 

do 

do 

do 


Mide' 


"There are spirits" 


94 ! Ill 


2 


do 


"They think me unworthy" 

"The water birds will alight" 

"The sky clears" 


95 ' HI 


3 

4 


do 

do 

do V 

do 


9fi 111 
97 112 


5 


"I walk in a circle" 


OS 112 


6 


" Our dwelling is royal " 


99 1 13 


7 
8 


do 

do 

do.. 


"Vermilion, I sing of thee" 

"There stands a man" 


100 113 

101 113 







102 113 

103 114 


11) 


(ie'miwOnac'.. 


...rlo 

... -do. 




11 


do 






V2 


do 


... .do 


voice." 
"They are feasting with nie" in.') 114 


U 


do 


do 


U) 


do 


do 




107 115 
25 , t.3 
20 I 64 


16 


Na'jobi'tun 


do 


17 


do 


do 



XVI 



LIST OF SONGS 



Cata- 
logue 



Name of singer. 



Description of song. 



Na'jobi'tun 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

. ...do 

....do 

....do 

...do 

....do 

...do 

...do 

....do 

....do 

Manido'giclgo'kwe. 

....do 

Be'clgwi'wizans. . . 
....do 



.-..do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Ki'tcimak'wa . 



do 

do 

do 

A'gwitu'wigi'clg. . 

do 

O'deni'gun 

Na'waji'bigo'kwe. 



MIde'.. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

.....do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

....do. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 

do.. 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



I'ille of song. 



Love charm (no words) 

do 

Processional 

Introductory song 

Hunting song (a) 

Hunting song (6) 

Hunting song (c) 

Hunting song (d) 

Hunting song (e) 

First initiation song 

Second initiation song 

Tliird initiation song 

Song for securing a good supply 
of maple sugar. 

First song of tlie feast 

Second song of tlie feast 

Initiation song 

Initiation song 

Initiation song 

Healing song 

(a) 



Serial Pago 
o. 1 no. 



23 
29 

ao 

31 
•32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
75 
76 
7 
8 
65 
66 
67 
68 
69 
11 
12 
13 
70 

14 
15 
64 
61 
62 
79 
71 



LIST OF SONGS 



XVII 



Cata- 
logue 



76 
78 
79 
86 
91 
92 
93 
98 
99 
101 
102 
103 
104 
105 
106 
107 
108 

109 
110 
112 
114 
116 
122 
123 
124 
125 
126 
127 
128 
129 
130 
131 
132 
133 
134 
135 
136 



138 
139 

140 
141 
142 
143 
144 
145 

146 
147 



Name of singer. 



Na'waji'bigo'kwe . 

do 

do 

Mi'jakiya'clg 

do 

Cagan'asi 

do 

do 

do 

Manido'gicigo'kwe. 

do 

Mrs. English 

Mrs. Mee 

do 

do 

Ki'tclmak'wa 

do 

do 

Ki'ose'wini'ni 



do Unclassified. 

do Love song 

Maiii'3,ns Moccasin-game song. 

A'gwitu' wigi'eig War song . 

Gi'cibans' do . 

De'bwawen'dunk MJde' 

do do. 

do do. 

do do. 

do do. 

do do. 

do do. 

do do . 

do do. 

Gi'wita'bines War song. 

do ! Woman's-dance song. 

do. I Moccasin-game song.. 

do I do 

do j V/oman's-dance song. 

do Unclassified 



Description of song. 



Mide' 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Woman's-dance song. . . 

Unclassified (a ) 

do. (6) 

do. (c) 

Love song 

do 

do 

Unclassified (Lullaby). 

do 

Love song 

Unclassified 

Love song 

do 

Dream song 



.do : Duplicate. 



-do Unclassified 

.do do 



Title of song. 



(6). 



Serial 
no 



Healing song 

" Wliere are j'ou? " 

Song of thanks for a pony. 



-do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 

.do 1 Duplicate (Love song) . 



War song 

Woman's-dance song.. . 

Moccasin-game song 

do 

do 



-do Scalp song . 

.do ' do 



(No words) , 

do 

"My love has departed" 

(No words) 

Farewell to the warriors 

"Why should I be jealous?" 

Call to the dance 

" I do not care for you any more " , 

"Do not weep" 

Duplicate of no. 115 (catalogue no. 
209). 

"I am as brave as other men" 

" He must be sorrowful" 

(No words) 

"The shifting clouds" 

Scalp dance 

First song 

Second song 

Third song 

Fourth song 

Fifth song 

Sixth song 

Seventh song 

Eighth song 

Ninth song 

(No words) 

"I have been waiting" _ 

(No words) 

" He gave us a double crack " 

(No words) 

Song of thanks for a pony (no 
words). 

Repetition of no. 115 (catalogue 
no. 92). 

Song referring to a vLsion 

Song referring to an historical in- 
cident. 

" Inside the cave " 

(No words) 

....do 

"I am standing till daylight" 

(No words) 

Repetition of no. 138 (catalogue 
no. 107). 

( No words) 

....do 



72 
73 
74 

Healing song i 77 

78 
185 
151 
152 
153 
133 
134 
135 
149 
150 
I 136 
146 
137 
138 
198 

147 
139 
142 
131 
132 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
154 
177 
168 
175 
179 
191 



196 
1S6 

155 
ISO 
169 
176 
170 
200 

159 
160 



12892°— Bull. 45—10- 



XVIII 



LIST OF SONGS 



Cata- 
logue 
no. 



Name of singer. 



Description of song. 



148 
149 

150 
161 

152 
153 
154 
155 
157 
159 
160 
IGl 
162 
163 
164 
166 
167 
168 

169 
170 

171 
172 
173 
174 
175 
177 
178 
179 
181 
182 
189 
190 
191 
192 
193 
194 
195 
197 
199 
200 
203 
205 
206 
207 
208 
209 
210 
211 
212 
213 

215 
224 



Gi'wita'binPs 

William Prentiss. 



do 

Gage'bin6s. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

John Mark. 
Wabezic'. . 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

do 



.do. 
.do. 



do 

Gi'nawigi'clg. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

Aki'waizi' 

....do 

Maiii'ans 

O'dPni'gun. . . 

...do 

....do...*.... 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Nita'miga'bo. 
Ga'gandac' . . . 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Moccasin-game song 

Song of the Isegging 
dance. 

Moccasin-game song 

Love song 

do 

Woman's-dance song. . . 

do 

Love song 

do 

Woman's-dance song 

Unclassified 

Love song 

Unclassified 

do 

do 

War song 

do 

Unclassified 



.do. 
.do. 



Moccasin-game song 

War song 

do 

Moccasin-game song 

Woman's-dance song. . . 

do 

War song 

do 

Moccasin-game song 

War song 

MIde' 

....do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Title of song. 



Moccasin-game song . . . 

War song 

Dream song 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do , 

....do 

....do 

Dream song (Juggler's 

song). 
War song 



(No words) . 
do 



do 

"I am going away " 

"Come, let us drink" 

(No words) 

do 

do 

"In her canoe" 

(No words) 

Friendly song (a) (no words) 

(No words) 

Friendly song (6) (no words) 

Friendly song (c) (no words) 

Friendly song (d) (no words) 

" The sky replies" 

Scalp song 

Song of thanks for a gift (no 

words). 

(No words) 

Song of the begging dance (no 

words). 

(No words) 

do 

do 

do 

"Come, dance" 

(No words) 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Song of the four bears 

Preparatory song 

Song of the flying feather 

Song of the man who succeeded . . 

Song of a scalp dance 

Song of good medicine . 

Song of the crab medicine-bug 

Song of the fire-charm , 

Song of starvation 

Song of the owl medicine 

"If I am beaten" 

(No words) 

Song of the trees 

Song of the thunders 

"My voice is heard " 

" The approach of the storm" 

" As the hawk soars " 

"In the southern sky" 

"Manido'listens to me" 

The song of Ce'deSns' 



.do 

-do Moccasin-game song. 



(No words) 

' ' I have come after your stake " . . 



LIST OF SONGS 



XIX 



Cata- 
logue 
no. i 



229 
230 
230 
237 
238 
239 
240 
241 
242 
244 
245 
240 
248 
253 
254 
255 
250 
259 
200 
201 
202 
271 
272 
274 
275 
270 
277 



Name of singer. 



Description of song. 



Ga'gandac' 

do 

Main'flns 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Henry Selkirk . 

do 

do 

do 

Ga'tcitcigi'clg. 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 



War song. 
do.... 

Mlde' 

do.... 



Title of song. 



Little Eagle's song 

(No words) 

Song of the bear path . . . 
Escorting the candidate. 



.do i Song of the manido' 

.do ' Dancing song 



do 

do 

do 

Dream song 

do 

do 

Mlde' 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Dream song. 

do 

do 

Love song. . . 
War song... 
Unclassified. 

do 

Love song. . . 



"My pan of food" 

" My pipe " 

Song of the za'gimag' 

Doctor's song 

" I go to the big bear's lodge". 

" Going around the world " 

" They are making me old " . . . 

" To the spirit land " 

Initiation song 

"I will sing" 

"I am walking" 

Song of the deserted warrior. . . 

Song of the crows 

"I am afraid of the owl" 

"When I think of him" 

Song of the loons 

Song of We'nabo'jo 

"My music reaches to the sky' 
(No words) 



War song "I will start before noon' 

do Song of Cimau'ganic 



Serial 
no. 



120 

127 

89 

10 

2 

3 

5 



9 

108. 

109 

110 

90 

91 

63 

92 

93 

120 

119 

121 

140 

128 

197 

148 

141 

129 

130 



Page 
no. 



140 

141 

100 

42 

30 

31 

34 

35 

41 

121 

121 

122 

107 

108 

81 

109 

110 

134 

133 

135 

154 

142 

200 

162 

154 

143 

143 



Special Signs Used in Transcriptions of Songs 

(See pp. 5 and 6.) 

+ placed above a note indicates that the tone is sung shghtly less 
than a semitone higher than the proper pitch. 

— placed above a note indicates that the tone is sung slightly less 
than a semitone lower than the proper pitch. 

(• placed above a note indicates that the note is prolonged slightly 
beyond its proper time. 

•) placed above a note indicates that the note is given less than its* 
proper time. 

( , ) is used in melody outlines to indicate the pitch of a tone with- 
out reference to its duration. 

Meaningless syllables are italicized. 

Where no words are given beneath the notes it is understood that 
meaningless syllables were used, except in songs wdiose words were 
sung too indistinctly for transcription, such instances being described 
in the analysis. 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 
By Frances Densmore 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SONGS 
Introductiox 

The songs comprised in this paper were obtained during 1907, 
1908, and 1909, from Chippewa Indians on the White Earth, Leech 
Lake, and Red Lake reservations in Minnesota, a few songs being 
also secured from a Chippewa living on the Bois Fort reservation in 
Minnesota. The Chippewa Indians on the Wliite Earth and Leech 
Lake reservations may be said to represent the portion of the tribe 
south of Lake Superior ; those on the Red Lake reservation are more 
nearly connected with the portion of the tribe living north of Lake 
Superior. Conditions on the Wliite Earth and Leech Lake reserva- 
tions are different from those at Red Lake, and the personality of the 
singers presents a marked contrast. For these reasons the social 
songs are considered in two groups. No Mide' songs were collected 
at Red Lake. 

Chippewa songs are not petrified specimens; they are alive with 
the warm red blood of human nature. Music is one of the greatest 
pleasures of the Chippewa. If an Indian visits another reservation 
one of the first questions asked on his return is : " What new songs 
did you learn?" 

Every phase of Chippewa life is expressed in music. Many of the 
songs are very old and are found on several reservations ; others are 
said to be the more recent compositions of certain men who com- 
posed them "during a dream" or "upon awaking from a dream." 
It is still customary for the Chippewa to celebrate an important 
event by a song. On the Leech Lake reservation the writer secured 
the song which the Indians composed and sang during the disturbance 
known as the "Pillager outbreak," in 1898. The song relates to 
the death of Major Wilkinson, an officer of the United States Army, 
who was shot while leading the troops. The Indians honor his 
12692'^— Bull. 45—10 1 



2 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

bravefy and speak of him with respect. The words of the song 
evidently refer to ttie grief of his fellow officers, and are as follows: 
"One in authority" passeth wailing. Thou, O chief, art by nature 
also a man." 

The Chippewa have no songs which are the exclusive property of 
families or clans. A young man may learn his father's songs, for 
example, by giving him the customary gift of tobacco, but he does 
not inherit the right to sing such songs, nor does his father force him 
to learn them. 

The history of the Chippewa songs is w^ell known to the singers, 
and is further preserved by the Indian custom of prefacing a song 
with a brief sjieech concerning it. On formal occasions the Chip- 
pewa singer says: "My friends, I wdll now sing you the song of ," 

describing the subject of the song. At the close of the song he says: 

"My friends, I have sung the song of ," repeating the title of the 

song. In this way the facts concerning the song become strongly 
associated with the melody in the minds of the people. 

Chippewa singers often mention the locality from which a song 
came — Gidl lake, Madeline island, or La Pointe. If a song was 
learned fi'om the Sioux, it is so stated. 

An interesting fact concerning Chippewa songs is that the melody 
is evidently considered more important than the words. In a suc- 
cessicm of several renditions of a song it is not unusual to find the 
words occurring only once. The idea is the important thing, and 
that is firmly connected with the melody in the minds of the Indians. 
It is ])ermissible and customary to compose new words for old tunes, 
but, so far as the writer has observed, these are always similar in general 
character to the words previously used. These observations do not, 
of course, apply to the Mide' songs, which are considered separately. 
An instance of the changing of words in a song is furnished by 
one of the love songs (no. 138; catalogue no. 107). As originally 
recorded the words of this song were: "Do not weep, I am not going 
to die." On another reservation the same song was found, the words 
being: "Do not weep, I am not going away;" again: "Do notw^eep, 
I am going away but I will return soon." Among a third group of 
Indians the writer found the song changed again. A certain Indian 
said that he had recently made some new words for the song. The 
words referred to a certain incident which he related, their general 
trend being: "Do not weep, I will take care of you." In all these 
instances the underlying idea was the same and the general trend 
of the melody was the same, though different singers gave slightly 
different passing tones and embellishments. The various changes 
thus introduced did not affect the identity of the song in the mind 
of the Indians. 



DENSMORB] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 6 

Indian songs are not recortletl in a definite, system of notation and 
a standard of absolute exactness is lackin,";. For that reason it seems 
desirable that study be concentrated on the melody-trend and the 
principal rhythm of the song, which show no variation in renditions 
b}^ different singers. A classified analysis of these unvarying phases 
may supply data bearing on the natural laws which govern musical 
expression. 

Indian music seems to belong to a period in which habit takes 
the place of scale consciousness. Habit ii^ the choice of musical 
intervals is formed b}" following a line of least resistance or by a 
definite act of the will ; or may be the residt of both, the voice at 
first singing the intervals which it finds easiest and afterward 
repeating those intervals voluntarily. It is in such ways as these 
that the tone material comprising Indian songs is probably acquired. 

The study of Indian music deals with a free tonal expression, 
yet this music is recorded at present in the notation of a conven- 
tional system. It is acknowledged that ordinary musical notation 
does not, in all instances, represent accuratelj^ the tones sung. 
According to Ellis," "all these [five-toned] scales are merely the 
best representations in European notation of the sensations produced 
by the scales on European listeners. They can not be received as cor- 
rect representations of the notes actually jilayed." If a new and 
complete notation were used in recording fractional tones it should 
be used in connection with delicately adjusted instruments which 
would determine those fractional tones with mathematical accuracy. 
The present study is not an analysis of fractional tones, but of 
melodic trend and general musical character; therefore the ordinary 
musical notation is used, with the addition of a few signs in special 
cases. 

The songs are recorded on a phonograph provided with a specially 
constructed recording horn and recorders. Care is taken in 
selecting the singers and in explaining to them the nature of the 
material desired, and effort is made to free them from constraint 
or embarrassment, in order that the recorded song may be free and 
natural. 

Before recording a song the name of the singer, the number of 
the song, and the tone C of a pitch pipe are given into the record- 
ing horn. These data serve to identify the cylinder record and also 
to indicate the speed of the phonograph at the time the record is 
made. 

Before transcribing a song the speed of the phonograph is adjusted 
so that the tone C as registered on the record shall correspond to 

"In his translation of Heiuholtz's The Sensations oi Tone as the Physiological Basis of Music, part 3, 
chapter 14 (footnote, p. 261). 



4 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

the tone C as given by the pitch pipe. Thus the pitch and the metric 
unit of the song are identical in recording and reproducing — a con- 
dition essential to accuracy of transcription. 

Intonation 

One of the characteristics of Chippewa singing observed during this 
study is that a vibrato, or wavering tone, is especially pleasing to 
the singers. This is difficult for them to acquire and is considered 
a sign of musical proficiency. The vibrato may seem to indicate 
an uncertain sense of tone, but the singer who uses it is ready to 
approve the song when sung with correct intonation. He declares, 
however, that this is not "good singing." A person unaccustomed to 
Indian singing, even if he have a keen ear, will find difficulty in 
recognizing a song when it is sung by a typical Indian singer of 
the old school, yet the Indian is ready to admit that the points of 
difterence are entirely in the rendition. 

A kernel of tone on true pitch is evidenced by the following experi- 
ment : The phonograph record of an extremely harsh song was selected 
and duplicated on an electric recording machine, producing a record 
much softer in that nmch of the harshness was eliminated, and show- 
ing a melody approaching accuracy of pitch. Another discordant song 
was duplicated on a second phonograph, another record made from 
this, and so on to the seventh record, which was so clear and 
melodic as to be easily transcribed. Sorne of the bytones were lost 
in each successive duplication, and what remained at last was the 
principal tone. In each instance this must have been present in the 
first record, though so obscured as to be almost indistinguishable. 

At present the only standard generally available for the meas- 
urement of musical intervals is the tempered musical scale. This 
is artificial, yet its points of difference from the natural scale are 
intervals less frequently used in primitive music than those which 
the two scales have in common. Chippewa singers have been found 
who sang all the intervals correctly except the fourth and seventh. 

In his Esthetics of Musical Art, Dr. Ferdinand Hand, of the Uni- 
versities of Lei])zig and Jena, makes the statement that the Swiss and 
Tyrolese sing the fourth of the scale too high and the seventh too low 
for our ears. He says also: "Every teacher of singing admits that 
children have special difficulty in singing these intervals. This is 
not because they are not in accordance with nature, but are the 
products of acute reflection and are therefore to be found only where 
the finer development of the intellect renders them possible." 

The descending interval of the minor third occurs with frequency 
in the Chippewa songs, regardless of the nature of the song. This 
suggests that it may be an interval either especially pleasing or 



DE.N-SMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 5 

especially easy for the voice, and not directly connected with the 
concept of the song. 

Accidentals are usually given with more firmness and accuracy 
than diatonic tones. This may be attributed to one of two causes — 
either these tones are recognized as deviations from some definite 
standard, or they are individual tones impressed on the mind of 
the singers more clearly than other tones, and are therefore given 
more accurately. Of interest in this connection is the fact that 
the plionograph record shows the octavo, fifth, and twelfth sung 
accurately b}" men who give the other intervals with uncertain 
pitch. This peculiarity is found in records made by Indians whose 
environment is ])riinitive and wlio rarely hear the white man's music. 
The following system of signs has been adopted: If the singer gives 
the ])rincipal intervals of the scale correctly, but makes deviation in 
other intervals, these incorrect tones, if raised less than a semitone, 
are marked + ; if lowered less than a semitone, they are marked — . 
This tonal peculiarity has been tested in the following manner: Two 
singers were asked to repeat songs recorded about seven months 
before; about 20 songs were included in this test, which showed devia- 
tion on the same tones in the secontl as in the first rendition. 

Rhythm 

The rhythm of a Chippewa song is as much a matter of composition 
as the melody and often expresses the idea of the song. The term 
"rhythm," in this connection, refers to the succession of measures 
of irregular lengths, as well as to the subdivision of the measure. 

The transcription of a song is divided into measures according to 
the vocal accent. Since a secondary accent seldom occurs, the song 
is usually divided into measures of two or three counts. In many 
instances each of these counts is a metric unit and is so indicated by 
tlie metronome mark at the opening of the song; in other instances 
the entire measure constitutes the metric unit. In man}" songs 
there is a recurring rhythmic unit composed of one to four or more 
measures; in other songs there is no recurring rhythmic unit and in 
many songs of tliis class the entire melody constitutes a rliythmic 
unit, complete and satisfactory in itself. Continued repetition of 
such a song gives to tlie entire performance the effect of a homogeneous 
whole. 

In many cases a metronome test of the phonograph record shows 
the drum to have the same uulse or metric unit as the melody. From 
this fact one would expect to find that the pulse of drum and voice 
coincide at certain ])()ints, but an analysis of phonograph records and 
observation in the fiekl tend to show that the drum and the voice 
are independent expressions. This is indicated in the tabulated 



6 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 4r... 

rhythmic analysis of the songs, and also in the analysis of individual 
songs. The Chippewa seldom strikes a drum and sounds a tone 
simultaneously. One plionograph record (no. 124; catalogue no. 
205) shows a remarkable peculiarity. The metric units of voice and 
drum are so nearly alike that the same metronome indication is used 
for each. At the beginning of the record the drumbeat is slightly 
behind the voice, but it gains gradually until for one or two measures 
the drum and voice are together; the drum continues to gain, and 
during the remainder of the. record it is struck slightly before the 
sounding of the corresponding tone by the voice. The record is 
not sufficiently long to show whether, in a more extended perform- 
ance, the drum would have slackened in speed until it again took its 
place after the voice. 

It is worthy of note that appreciable interruptions in regular 
rhythms are accurately repeated. For instance, in certain songs 
there occur tones prolonged less than one-half their value; these 
are marked thus (• . It was found that if the singer sang the song 
several times he prolonged the tones to exactly the same length in 
each rendition. Other tones are similarly shortened and are marked 
thus •). These also are found to be accurately repeated. 

Thus far, observation indicates that the rhythm is the essential 
part of the Chippewa song. The words of a song may be slightly 
different in rendition, or the less important melody progressions may 
vary, but a corresponding variation in rhythm has not been observed. 
A song, when sung by different singers, shows an exact reproduction 
of rhythm. 

During many of the Chippewa war dances the drum is in even beats, 
equally accented. The drum rhythm of the woman's dance consists 
of an accented beat preceded by an unaccented beat ; the drum rhythm 
of the moccasin game is similar, but the unaccented beat in the for- 
mer corresponds approximately to the third count in a triple measure, 
while the unaccented beat in the latter corresponds in value to the 
fourth count in a quadruple measure. Another distinction lies in 
the manner of beginning these rhythms. In beginning the rhythm 
of the woman's dance, the drummers give the unaccented beat with 
a rebound of the stick, so that it seems to be connected with the 
beat which precedes rather than with that which follows it. As soon 
as the rhythm is well established, however, the unaccented beat 
clearly connects itself with the succeeding beat. In the moccasin 
game the rhythm is unmistakable from the start, the short beat being 
closely connected with the longer one, which is emphatically accented. 
These three rhythms, the war dance, the woman's dance, and tlie 
moccasin game are the principal rhythms of the drum among the 
Minnesota Cliippewa. 



DENS MORE] CillPPiEWA MUSI6 7 

Tone Matekial 

A wide range of tone material is shown hy the songs under obser- 
vation. Certain songs contain tones whose melodic sequence refers 
definitely to a keynote or tonic. Other songs contain tones which 
appear to belong to the system of tones commonly called major or 
minor keys, but which are used in such melodic sequence tliat their 
relation to a keynote or tonic is obscure. The l)()rder line between 
these two classes of songs is not clearly marked. Because the rela- 
tion of tones to a keynote is not apparent, one scarcely is justified in 
saying that such relation does not exist, especially as the purpose of 
the present work is not scale construction, nor scale analysis, but 
recording, in the simplest and most evident manner, tlie musical 
performances of the Chippewa. For this reason no attemi)t is made 
to separate these two classes of songs. The distinction will be evi- 
dent to those who follow closely the transcriptions and analyses. 
In many instances the sharps and fiats at the begimiing of the staff 
indicate that the tones upon those degrees are sharped or flatted, 
but do not imply that the corresponding key is fully estabhshed. For 
present purposes it is deemed sufficient to analyze the tone material 
of the songs, with reference to the keynote implied by the beginning 
and ending of the song and its general melodic trend. 

The present system of classification, while carried out consist- 
ently, must be recognized as broad in outline and somewhat tentative. 
The principal change from ordinary terminology is in connection 
with what are commonly known as the major and minor penta- 
tonic scales. These two consist of the same tones, a major tonaHty 
being secured by using as a keynote the lower tone of the group 
of three tones, and a minor tonality being secured by using as a 
keynote the upper tone of the group of two tones. 

The subject of pentatonic scales is fully considered by Ilelmholtz,'^ 
according to whom a scale lacking the second and sixth tones is the 
second five-toned scale. This is the scale commonly known as the 
minor pentatonic scale. According to the same autlior, a scale 
lacking the fourth and seventli tones is the fourth five-toned scale. 
This is the scale commonly known as the major ])enta tonic scale. 
Following the system set forth by Ilelmholtz, the terms ''second 
five-toned scale" and "fourth five-toned scale" are used to indicate 
what are commonly called minor and major ])enta tonic scales. 

A somewhat less im])ortant change in terminology is the use of 
the term ''tonality" instead of the more common term "key;" 
this is fully explained in connection with the first ta])ulated analysis. 

oin his work The Sensations of Tone as the Piiysiologital IJasi^ of i.l,;.sic (pail i, chapter H). 



8 



BUIlEAtT OI' AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 4i5 



Many songs which contain a limited number of tones, too Hmited 
to constitute an organized key, still show definite tonaHty, either 
major or minor. 

Structure 

The sequence of tones in Cliippewa songs shows that certain songs 
are harmonic and others melodic in structure. The following basis 
of classification has been adopted: Songs are classified as harmonic 
if their accented tones follow the intervals of diatonic chords, and 
as melodic if their contiguous accented tones have no apparent chord 
relationship. In the latter class are included many songs in which 
the relations of the tones to a keynote is not strongly in evidence. 

In many instances the interpretation of the words of these songs 
has been difficult, the Mkle' songs requiring special skill in transla- 
tion, '^ 

Tabulated Analysis of 180 Songs 

The classifications presented are broad in their outlines. Further investigation 
may make it jwssible to analyze more closely and to classify more definitely many 
of these songs. 

Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY b 







White Earth and Leech 
Lake reservations. 


Red Lake reservation. 












a> 


•o 








o 


a) 








M 






03 








03 


a 








til 

c 


O 


M 


a 


bo^ 




Ul 




fcC . 


^^. 


«a 






M 




O 


g 


"55 

C3 O 


^o 


o 


o 


So 


^ S 


c^S 






•§ 




03 


a> 


g 


a 


^ 








a 


3 




s 


Q 


!? 


yA 


a 


t3 


is 


h; 


s 


^ 


^ 


H 




05 


12 


5 


G j 2 


3 


1 


3 




3 


4 


in4 




25 


2 


f) 


3 2 


5 


7 


2 


9 


6 


6 


7S 
















1 








1 


9 
























1 


1 


























Total 




1 


















180 




















_ 







a The writer gratefully acknowfledges her indebtedness to Mrs. Charles Mee, Mrs. Mary Warren English, 
Rev. C. H. Beaulieu, and Mr. G. II. Beaulieu for their assistance as interpreters; also to the Rev. J. A. 
Gilfillan, who for twenty-five years lived on the White Earth reservation, speaking the Chippewa 
language with a fluency and understanding rarely attained by a member of the white race. 

6 Tonality is defined as "the quality and peculiarity of a tonal system;" key is defined as a "system of 
tones the members of which bear certain definite relations to each other. " 

Certain of the songs under analysis show a sequence of tones similar to a major or minor key; in other 
instances the tone material which comprises a key or scale is present and the songs are clearly major or 
minor in tonality, yet the arrangement of the tones with reference to a keynote is not apparent. Thus 
from actual observation we discern the distinction between these two terms. 

Since we are considering music of a period in which what we now designate scales and keys were not for- 
mulated, the terms "major tonality" and "minor tonality" are used in preference to the common terms 
"major key" and "minor key." 



densmoreJ 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



Melodic Analysis — Continued 

TONE MATERIAL" 





c 
o 

■a 


White Earth and Leech 
Lake reservations. 


Red Lake reservation. 




■ 


a 

1 
g 
O 


i 

03 


a 

1 

> 

2 


ia 
11 


(S 

el 


3 


M 

C 

o 

a) 
> 
o 


0) 

s 
P 

o 

a 


o 
o 
n 

«a 
§1 

o 


la 



h5 


o 


Fourth five-toned scale 


18 
11 
19 


8 


2 






1 
1 

1 


1 


1 


■""V 


3 
1 


3 


38 




?? 




4 


1 


2 






'>' 


Major triad, sixth, and fourth 


2 
















?, 


1 


1 




1 
1 










1 


3 


















1 




2 


1 








9 






1 




8 


Minor triad, second, and fourth 










? 














1 




1 




1 




3 
10 
2 








1 




1 


! 




8 


Octave complete except seventh 

Octave complete except sixth 








1 


1 
2 


14 




1 




1 


2 


8 










1 3 


Other combinations of tones. . . 


19 
3 


1 




3 


2 
1 


2 


1 


3 


3 

1 


38 


In two keys 


1 


'\ 










1 












Total 


1 




1 














180 





























BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



On the twelfth 


33 
29 


7 


4 


3 


2 






3 


2 
3 
1 






54 


On the fifth.. . 


3 
1 


1 


4 


4 


44 


On the eleventh 










9 


On the fourth 


1 


1 
1 


1 
2 


! 








1 


4 


On the tenth 




1 












4 


On the third 












1 


5 


8 


On the ninth 


S 
5 

11 
2 

1 




1 




1 




7 


On the second 




1 








1 
2 


1 


7 


On the octave 


3 


3 


5 


1 


7 


1 


1 
1 


S4 


On the seventh 


4 


On the sixth 


2 
















R 


On the tonic 








2 






2 




1 


5 


In two keys 


3 










1 




4 






















Total 










1 












180 












i 
















a Many songs included in this classiflcation consist of tones which are not clearly referable to a tonic or 
keynote. The songs are grouped according to the tone material which they contain. Thus, if a melody 
contains F sharp and C sharp, begins on A and ends on D, it is, in this classiflcation, regarded as being in 
the key of D. 

Certain melodies readily conform to the three printipal chords of a key; other melodies containing the 
same tones have no afhUation for either the principal chords or the closing cadence of the key. This pecu- 
liarity is noted in the analysis of the song. 



10 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[buij-. 45 



Melodic Analysis — Continued 

ENDINGS OF SONGS 







White Earth and Leech 
Lake reservations. 


Red Lake reservat 


on. 










OJ 


-o 




« 


Oi 


•« 












s 






H 


C 


0) 








taO 










3 










be 


a 


bio 
C 
o 




m 6t 


1 ^ 


C bo 


%t 


S W) 






i 


o 
o 


o 






g 
> 
3 


o 
o 


c a 
o 




t 
o 




56 
21 


10 
3 


8 
3 


C 
2 


3 

1 


5 

2 


9 
1 " 


3 

1 


9 


6 
2 


8 
3 


T'n 


On the nfth 


39 




10 
3 


1 


1 


1 




1 


1 


1 




1 


1 


17 




4 


















1 




Total 
























180 





























FIRST PROGRESSIONS 





83 

7 


10 
4 


9 
2 


(i 
3 


2 
2 


4 
4 


5 

4 


3 

2 


2 

7 


4 
5 


7 
5 


n"; 


First profiression upward 


45 


Total 






1 












180 








j 















ACCIDENTALS a 



Songs containing no accidentals 


73 
4 
1 
1 
2 
3 
1 
1 
1 


11 

1 


10 
1 


4 


3 
1 


6 


9 


2 


9 


8 
1 


12 


147 
q 


Fifth lowered a semitone 






1 


Fourth lowered a semitone. 






















1 


Third lowered a semitone 


1 




















s 


Second lowered a semitone 








1 












4 


Seventh raised a semitone 




















1 




1 




3 
1 
















fi 






1 










3 


Second raised a semitone. 








J 








1 


Fourth and seventh raised a semitone. 








1 














1 


In two keys 


3 




















3 


























Total 
























180 





























a The principal object of this classification is to show the frequency with which tones diatonically altered 
occur in these songs. Each accidental is classified according to its interval from the keynote which is 
implied by the beginning, ending, and general trend of the melody. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 45 PLATE 2 




CICI'GWAN (DOCTOR'S RATTLE), SHOWING MANNER OF HOLD- 
ING INSTRUMENT WHEN IN USE 




MITI'GWAKIK' (mIDE' drum), REVERSE SIDE 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 



dkxsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MtJSlO 
Rhythmic Analysis 



11 





a 
o 

"(U 


White Earth and Leech 
Lake reservations. 


Red Lake reservation. 






1 
g 

a 


i 


CO 

a 
g 

3 




T3 

a 




1 
g 

HP 

> 
o 


I 

03 

"J" CO 

a w) 
o 


g 

p 
ca 

•V . 

a° 


T3 

Ol 
— CO 

m SO 

|i 

a 
t3 


3 

o 


Beginning on accented portion of 
measure.. 


23 
26 
41 


10 
4 


9 
2 


4 
5 


2 
2 


5 
3 


6 
3 


4 

1 


9 


8 
1 


9 
3 


S<f 


Beginning on unaccented portion 

Transcribed in outline 


50 
41 


























Total 








! 










ISO 






















Metric unit of voice and drum the 


6 

23 
CI 


1 

12 
1 


1 

6 
4 






3 

2 
3 


4 

2 
3 


5 


2 

6 
1 


4 

4 
1 


7 
5 


28 


Metric unit of voice and drum diller- 

ent 

Record('(l wil liout drum 


9 


3 
1 


(i3 
S9 






Total 
























180 




i 












: 





Structural Analysis 



Harmonic 


20 
70 


8 



5 
G 


9 


2 
2 


8 


1 

8 


5 


3 

6 


9 


2 
10 


41 


Melodic 


139 






Total 










1 












180 












i 















Harmonic. — Songs in which the accented tones follow the intervals of diatonic chord. 
Melodic. — Songs in which the accented tones suggest the intervals of a diatonic scale, 
having no apparent chord relationship to each other. 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 

The songs of the Chippewa are usually accompanied by either the 
drum or the rattle, while the Chippewa lover intersperses his songs 
with the music of the flute. 

The drum used in the social dances is about 2 feet in diameter 
and 10 inches in thickness; it is suspended between stakes, which 
are driven firmly in the ground. The sides of the drum are decorated 
with beaded cloth. It is said that in the old days it was customary 
to make a w^ar drum by driving stakes in the ground and stretching 
an entire hide over them, binding it in place by means of strong hoops. 

The Mide'wiwm has its special musical instruments. These con- 
sist of the iiiitfgwaMF (drum) and cici'givdn (rattles). These instru- 
ments are shown in plates 1 and 2. 

The miti'gwakik' shown in the illustration is very old. It was 
purchased on the Red Lake reservation, where it has often been 



12 BtTREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 45 

heard at a distance of 10 miles. These drums are not unpleasantly 
loud, but the sound has ^reat vibration and carries a long distance. 

This miti'gwakik' is made of a basswood log, hollowed by charring 
and scraping. It is 16 J inches high, 10 inches in diameter at the 
base, and 8^ inches in diameter at the top. It is decorated with a 
blue band at the base, four heads representing the four Mide' manido', 
and an oblong said to represent a bag containing yarrow, which 
signifies life. The heads are outlined in red and the bag in blue. 
When in use it is partially filled with water (the plug in the side is 
plainly shown). The top is of untanned deerskin, which is dampened 
and stretched very tight. At times, instead of being dampened the 
top of the drum is held toward the fire or in the warmth of the sun, 
which has the desired efl^ect. Great care is taken in preparing a 
drum for use, the proper quality of tone being secured by the treat- 
ment of the deerskin top. 

Four rattles comprise a set as used in the Mide'. (See description 
of Mide' ceremony, p. 48.) These are not decorated. Three consist 
of small wooden drums, each provided with a sewn cover of hide, 
containing small stones or shot and pierced by a stick which forms 
the handle. The writer has seen rattles of this type used in the 
treatment of the sick by means of the Mide'. These rattles are used 
also in the ''shooting of spirit power" during a ceremony of the 
Mide'. The fourth rattle is made on a frame of bent wood. Each 
of these rattles has a difl^erent tone, determined by the quantity of 
stones or shot which it contains. 

The round instrument at the right of the drum in the illustration 
is the rattle used by the dja'sakid (doctor or juggler); if the dja'sakid 
be also a member of the Mide'wiwin he may use this as a drum when 
practising the Mide' songs or teaching them to others. As stated else- 
where, the dja'sakid are frequently members of the Mide'wiwin, and 
it was from such a man that this instrument was secured. It is 9J 
inches in diameter, one-half inch in thickness, and contains only three 
or four shot or small stones. Across the face of the drum is a blue 
band, the smaller segment of the circle being painted green. Larger 
instruments of the same type are also used by the dja'sakid; many of 
them are elaborately decorated. The use of this instrument in the 
treatment of the sick is fully described in the chapter on dream songs. 
(wSee p. 119.) 

The drum used in the moccasin game is about 15 inches in diameter 
and 2 inches in thickness. It may have hide stretched over one or 
both sides and some specimens have small bits of jingling tin set 
in the hoop. The stick used in beating this drum is similar to the 
one shown with the dja'sakid instrument. 

The courting flute of the Chippewa is usually made of cedar and is 
similar in consuruction to the flutes of other Indian tribes. 



DEXSMOKE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 13 

THE MIDE' 
Beliefs 

The Mule' (Grand ^ledicine) is the native relif!:ion of the Chippewa. 
It teaches that long hfe is coincident with goodness, and that evil 
inevitably reacts on the offender. Its chief aim is to secure health 
and long life to its adherents, and music forms an essential part of 
every means used to that end. Thus far the stud}^ of the subject has 
revealed no reference to war and no allusions to enemies. The ele- 
ment of propitiation is also absent from its teaching and practice. 

The organization of this religion is called the Mlde'wiwln (Grand 
Medicine Society) . Both men and women are eligible to membershi]) ; 
a male member is called Mide'wini'ni, and a female member Mide'- 
wlkwe' . There are eight degrees in the Mide'wiwin, persons being 
advanced from one degree to another on receiving certain instruc- 
tions and bestowing valuable gifts. Meetings of the Mide'wiwin are 
held in the spring of each year, members being initiated at that 
time; it is also permissible to hold initiation ceremonies in the fall. 
All members are expected to attend one meeting each year for the 
renewal of their "spirit power." Smaller gatherings may be held at 
any time for the treatment of the sick, and it is also permissible for 
a few members of the society to meet at any time for the purpose of 
singing the songs and strengthening their faith in the beliefs of the 
Mide'. A feast and an offering are inseparable features of all these 
gatherings. 

Ritual exactness is not obligatory in the Mide'. Its ceremony of 
initiation has a general outline which is universally followed, but the 
details vary in different locaUties. No ceremonial garments are worn, 
and there are no ceremonial articles connected with the organization. 
It is said that each leader has a pipe which he smokes only at meet- 
ings of the Mide'wiwiin, but this seems a matter of custom rather than 
of requirement. There is nothing which corresponds to an hereditary 
priesthood, the leaders of a ceremony being men who hold high degrees 
in the society, and are chosen for the office at each meeting of the 
society. The selection of songs at the various parts of the initiation 
ceremony is decided by the leaders of the ceremony, as there are 
many songs which may be sung. 

Since ritual exactness is not obligatory in the Mide', there is no 
penalty attached to a mistake in the singing of a song. De'bwawen'- 
diink, an old member of the Mide'wiwin, states that there is a cor- 
rect way to sing each song and that an effort is made to sing it in 
this manner because failure to do so is displeasing to the Mide' 
manido'. Added importance is given to this statement by the fact 
that De'bwawen'dtink Hves on the Bois Fort reservation, where the 
Indians have had little direct contact with white men and where the 
old traditions are particularly well preserved. 



14 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

The emblem of the j\Iide' is mi'gis, a small, white shell, which is said 
to appear upon the surface of the water when the action of a manido' 
(spirit) causes the water to seethe. Manido' in the form of water ani- 
mals, mermaids, and mermen, also appear to the members of the 
Mide'wiwifn for the purpose of imparting instruction when they are in 
a frame of mind to receive it. Hoping for such a visitation, it is not 
unusual for a member of the Mide'wiwin to sit beside the water for 
hours at a time, singing Mide' songs and beating the Mide' drum or 
shaking a rattle. 

The healing art of the Mide' is entirely different from that prac- 
tised by the Chippewa doctors, the method of treatment is different, 
and the two vocations are distinct, though it is possible for a doctor 
to be a member of the Mide'wiwm. Descriptions of the treatment 
of the sick by both these methods will be given. '^ 

The life enjoined on the members of the Mide'wiwin is a life of rec- 
titude. They are taught that membership in the Mide'wiwin does 
not exempt a man from the consequences of his sins. Lying and 
stealing are strictly forbidden; also the use of licpior. 

The ]\Iide' is not without its means of punishing offenders. Those 
holding high degrees in the Mide'wiwin are familiar with the art of 
subtle poisoning, which may be used if necessary. It is said that 
they are also able to call down curses on those who displease them. 
The writer was recently informed of an instance in which a man 
offended a Mide'wini'ni, who retaliated by saying that a misfortune 
would soon befall him. In a short time his little daughter died. 

Songs 

The songs of the Mide' represent the musical expression of religious 
ideas. The melody and the idea are the essential parts of a Mide' 
song, the words being forced into conformation with the melody. 
To accomplish this it is customary to add meaningless syllables either 
between the parts of a word or between the words; accents are mis- 
placed and a word is sometimes accented differently in various parts 
of a song; the vowels are also given different sounds, or changed en- 
tirely. Any of these alterations are permissible. In addition to the 
meaningless syllables used to fill out the measures we find the ejac- 
ulations he 111 hi hi, used in the songs associated with the "shooting 
of spirit power." 

The writer has even been informed that it is permissible for differ- 
ent members of the Mide'wiwin holding high degrees to use slightly 
different words for the songs, but the idea of the song must always 
remain the same. The words serve as a key to this idea without 
fully expressing it. Sometimes only one or two words occur in a song. 
Their literal translation is meaningless, but to an instructed member 

oSee pp. 51 and 119. 



UENS.MORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 15 

of the Mide'wiwin they hear an occuh sii::nificaiu'e. Many of the 
words used in the MTde' songs are unknown in tlie conversational 
Chippewa of the present time. This fact has made it difficult to secure 
satisfactory translations of these songs. Nine or ten interpreters 
have been employed on many of them, the final translation being 
made by three particularly efficient interpreters in consultation with 
two members of the ^Mide'wiwin. By this method it has been possi- 
ble to reach the idea underlying the song. 

A Mide' song is not considered complete unless the syllables lio ho 
ho ho are repeatedly given at the close. When singing these songs 
into the phonograph the singers have often requested a signal, so that 
they might be sure to record these syllables before the blank was 
filled. If necessary they leave a rendition of the song unfinished 
in order to record them; some give them also before singing the song. 

A member of the Mide'wiwin usually begins his performance by 
drumming rapidly; then he gives the ejaculations, or speaks to the 
Mide' nianido' or makes some remarks concerning the song he is al>out 
to sing; after this he sings the song, the beat of the thum being continu- 
ous throughout. The drum appears to be an independent expression, 
as in a large majority of instances the metric unit of the drum is 
different from that of the voice. (See p. 11.) 

The songs of the Mide'wiwin are estimated as several hundred in 
number. Some have a direct ceremonial use, as in the initiation of 
members; others are connected with the use of ''medicine," the song 
being sung when results are to be accomplished by "spirit power;" 
and other songs are known as ni'miwdg' , or dancing songs. Certain 
ceremonial songs are grouped in series of eight or ten, the members of 
the Mide'wiwin dancing during the last half of the series. 

In the words of these songs the ancient teachings and beliefs of 
the Mide' are preserved. The words of the songs frequently furnish 
the texts for discourses by the Mide'wInl'nI. In some of the series of 
songs it is the custom that one song be sung by each man, who fol- 
lows the song with a discourse based on it. 

Many of the songs are taught only to those who pay for the privi- 
lege of learning them, and all the songs are recorded in mnemonics on 
strips of birch bark. This record serves as a reminder of the essential 
idea of the song and is different in its nature from our system of 
printing. The Indian picture preserves the idea of the song, while 
our printed page preserves the words which are supposed to express 
the idea but which often express it very imperfectly.'^ 

a The drawings Tor songs contained in this paper were made as follows (serial numbers used): Draw- 
ings for songs nos. 1, 4, 81-88 by O'deni' gfln ; those for songs nos. l(i-24 by De'bwawPn'dtliik ; tliose for 
songs nos. 05-69 by Be'clgwi'wizilns, and that for song no. 75 l)y Manido'giclgo'kwe— all of whom sang 
the songs. The drawings for songs nos. 2, 3, .5-15, 25-()4, 70-80 (except no. 75), 89-107 were the work of 
Na'waji'bigo'kwe, who sang only a portion of the songs but made the drawings for the remainder oa 
hearing the phonograph records of the songs. 



16 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

The drawings of the Mide' songs are universally understood by 
members of the Mkle'wiwin. A large number of drawings have 
been tested in the following manner : A song has been phonographic- 
ally recorded and the picture drawn on one reservation and later the 
phonograph record has been played to a member of the Mkle'wiwin 
living on a distant reservation. The song has been recognized at 
once and a picture drawn without hesitation. This picture, on com- 
parison with the first, has been found identical in symbolism, differ- 
ing only as one person draws better than another. By an inverse 
test, a song picture has been shown to a member of the Mide'wiwin 
and she has sung the song which was sung on a distant reservation 
b}' the person who drew the picture. 

There are certain established symbols in the Mlde' drawing, the 
principal ones being the circle, used to represent the earth, the sky, 
a lake and a hill; and straight or wavy lines, used to represent " spirit 
power." These symbols are combined with a crude delineation of the 
objects mentioned in the song. 




Fig. 1. MKle' writing. 

This system of mnemonics may be used for other purposes than 
the songs. The writer once asked a woman who is a member of the 
Mkle'wiwin to write the Chippewa w^ord Gi'cigo'ikwe in the ]\Iide' 
mnemonics. The woman had never heard the word before. It is a 
proper name combining the words gi'clg (sky) &nd i'lcwe (woman), the 
vowel o being a connective. The woman said that it would require a 
little time for her to think how to write the word and that no one 
could be in the wigwam with her when she wrote it. The result is 
shown herewith (see fig. 1). 

The double circle represents the sky, in which the moon is seen ; the 
single circle represents the earth. In each of these circles is the fig- 
ure of a woman, the two figures being connected by a line which 
touches the hand of the figure in the earth circle. The explanation 
given b}^ the woman was as follows: 

This name mea'^s that there are really two women instead of one. In the sky is 
one of these wc:nea; the other is on the earth. But the woman in the sky is con- 
stantly giving spirit power to the one on the earth, which the one on the earth reaches 
out her hand to receive. 



DEXSMORB] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 17 

This illustration shows that the Alklo/ wrilinii; can be used to 
express complicated ideas. 

The example of song writing here given (fig. 2) shows a delineation 
of the objects mentioned in the song. 

The words of the song are : 

Wase' Light 

Nita^bino? Around you 

O^gima Chief 

Fkwe Woman (princess) 

This picture was drawn b}" the same woman as the preceding. 
She stated that the horizontal line represents the edge of the wig- 
wam, along which are arranged various articles of value indicated 
by the dots. At each end are torches, the light of which falls 




MMe' suiiL' wriliiii; 



oil the gathered wealth, causing many of the articles to glitter. These 
articles belong to a woman standing with upraised hands and wear- 
ing a pearl necklace with a locket. 

In singing this song the woman pointed to one portion of the pic- 
ture after another, tapping the birch bark lightly as she sang and 
traversing the row of dots, the horizontal line, the outline of the 
necklace, and the torches, then beginning again at the row of dots. 

The woman who sang this song stated further that "it is a medi- 
cine song" and that she could, if desired, furnish some of the medicine 
for use with the song. "The medicine was in the form of a ])owder 
and would be worn in a medicine bag." 

Xo phonograph was available at the time, but the song was noted. 
It begins on a high tone, descending with frequent intervals of the 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 2 



18 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bill. 45 

minor third and glissando progressions, and has a compass of an 
octave and two tones. 

Many of the Mide' songs are grouped in series, the pictures being 
drawn on a long strip of birch bark. Midway through such a series 
a line is drawn. This indicates a pause, after which the people rise, 
and dance during the remaining songs of the series. 

The antiquity of these songs is shown by the fact that many of 
them are widely known among scattered peoples who came originally 
from the same locality but have had practically no communication 
for a long period of time. The preservation of the songs is aided by 
the mnemonics, and the importance attached to them is shown by the 
reluctance of the Mide' Indians to sing them until fully assured of the 
sincerity and good will of the person making the request. 

In analyzing the music as the important part of the expression, 
the c^uestion arises whether the melodic progression or the rhythm 
is more strongly impressed on the mind of the singer. Which of 
these elements is to him the more important feature of the song? 
A careful review of more than a himdred Mide' songs shows them to 
consist of simple intervals and complicated rhythms. The tones 
comprised in the songs are limited in number, many of the songs con- 
taining only three or four tones, except as the number is extended 
by repetition in a lower octave; the variety of rhythms is great, as 
will be seen in the transcriptions. Accidentals rarely occur in the 
songs. An accidental in the opening measures of a song is worthy 
of little consideration, as in many instances the introductory measures 
are sung only once, and the singer is allowed some freedom in them. 

The rhythm of the song is determined by noting the accented 
tones and dividing the song into measures according to them. 

By observation we find that in many of the songs the metric unit 
is the measure, not the individual count in the measure. In these 
instances the accented measure l^eginnings are found to conform to 
a very slow metronome beat, but the intervening tones are irregular 
in length and can not be accurately indicated by note values. These 
songs would resemble chants except for the freedom of their melody 
progressions. 

The next fact which we note in connection with the rhythm is that 
it is most peculiar in songs which are intended to produce magic and 
mysterious results. In this class are included songs for the healing 
of the sick as well as songs used in connection with special "fnedicine" 
for success in hunting or other undertakings. In many of these songs 
there is no repetition of a rhythmic unit, but the entire song consti- 
tutes a rhythmic unit, its repeated renditions forming a satisfactory 
whole. 

There are other songs in which two or more measures of varying 
lengths combine to form a rhythmic unit, which is repeated throughout 



DEXSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 19 

the song;. One measure occasionally constitutes the rhythmic unit, 
wliich is continuously repeated. 

The rhythm is simplest in the songs used while "shooting" a can- 
didate for initiation into the Mide'wiwin. In these songs there is 
only one object — that the person shall fall unconscious, showing that he 
is "entirely controlled by the medicine." The rhythm of these songs 
is an emphatic regular rhythm. When it is desired that a person be 
energized to some great undertaking the rhythm is irregular but so 
fascinating in its irregularity that it holds the attention. This is 
what is always sought — to control the person. 

The ni'miwug' (dancing songs) are always sung vibrato, with the 
wavering of voice which would be produced by the motion of the 
body in dancing. This wavering of the voice is inseparably con- 
nected with the song. In all Mide' songs there is a tendency toward 
uncertainty of intonation. Repetitions of the same tone usually 
shade do^\^lwa^d, and the transition from one tone to another is fre- 
quently glissando. By a strange contrast it is found that accidentals, 
when present, are usually given clearly and correctl}". With very 
few exceptions, the repetition of a song is begun on exactly the same 
pitch as the first rendition. This frequently involves the ascent of a 
twelfth and is often made more diificult by the fact that the song 
ends on a tone below the natural range of the singer's voice. Thus 
the song as a whole preserves its tonality and repetitions are accu- 
rately begun, although the individual tones of the song may be uncer- 
tain in intonation. This suggests the possibility that these variations 
in intonation may be an attempt at ornamentation. The melodic 
material is extremely limited and this wavering of the voice may 
seem to add to the effectiveness of the song. 

A few points concerning the song as a whole deserve our attention. 
The repetition of a song is usually continuous with the previous ren- 
dition, although a half rest occasionally occurs between the rendi- 
tions. The repetition of a song frequently opens with a new word 
and the melody returns to the fifth or sixth measure of the original 
rendition. Repetitions of a song by different singers are found to 
be identical in all important respects. 

Unimportant phrases near the close of the song frequently vary in 
number. They are usually reiterations of a word and the exact 
number seems not essential. 

An Indian rarely hums a Mide' song before singing it into the 
phonogra])h and the accuracy of his memory is shown b}* the fact 
that the song in repetition is never changed in rhythm, the changes, 
when they occur, being in unimportant note values or melodic pro- 
gressions. 

In summarizing the preceding chapter we find the songs of the 
Mlde' to be essentially a musical expression, the form of the words 
being subordinate to the form of the melody. 



20 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

The drum and voice are usually independent in metric units, the 
drum being a rapid unaccented beat and the voice having a rhythm 
which bears a relation to the mental concept of the song. 

The intonation has been shown to be frequently variable for two 
reasons: First in imitation of the motion of the body in dancing, and 
second for the apparent purpose of ornamentation. 

No effort has been made by the Avriter to secure the "bad medicine 
songs" or songs of cursing. One who has heard a large number of 
these songs states that they are terrible in their maledictions and 
represent a phase of life and thought which it were better to leave 
untouched. They are the weapons of defense in the Mkle', and all 
that is believed to have been wrought through them will ever be an 
unwritten page. 

Use of Medicine 

The power of the Mide' is exerted through a combination of two 
mediums, music and medicine. The former has been set forth in 
detail; the latter is less available for analysis, but certain informa- 
tion concerning it has been secured. 

The medicine and medicine practice of the IVIide' should be dis- 
tinguished from that of the dja'sakid, who are doctors or jugglers. 
That they may also be members of the Mide'wiwin does not change 
the fact that the two professions are distinct. 

The use of medicine in connection with the IMide' is as follows: 
Each member of the Mide'wiwin carries in his Mide' bag many herbs 
and other substances supposed to have medicinal value, in addition 
to the mi'gis (small white shells used in the Mide')- If a cure of the 
sick is desired he frequently mixes and sells a medicine after singing 
the song which will make it effectual. 

In the working of a charm it is consitlered necessary to use both the 
proper song and the proper medicine. For that reason a small 
quantity of the medicine is furnished to a person who buys such a 
song. To accomplish the desired results this medicine should, if 
possible, come in contact either with the person to be influenced, 
with some of his personal possessions, or with a small wooden effigy, 
which the person working the charm makes for the purpose. The 
medicine may consist of one or more ingredients and may be of 
greater or less value. Certain herbs enter into the composition of 
many medicines, while others are rare and difficult to obtain. 

In the working of a love charm it is customary to obtain a thread 
from the clothing of one of the persons to be affected, or, if possible, a 
loose hair. Two small wooden effigies are made, one representing 
a man, the other a woman, and the person working the charm 
binds these together with the thread or hair. The effigies are then 
placed in a small bag, with some of the proper medicine. This bag 



demsmore] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 21 

is worn around the neck of the person working the charm, who fre- 
quently sings the song which is supposed to make the charm effective. 

If tlie intention is to work an evil charm the method of procedure 
is somewhat similar. An effort is made to secure some personal 
possession, to which the medicine is applied; if this is impossible, 
the medicine is applied to a wooden effigy of the person, and the man 
working the charm sets this figure before him as he sings the songs 
of cursing. The medicines used in connection with these songs are 
said to be powerful and subtle vegetable poisons. 

It is believed that if a Mide'winf nl has in his possession any article 
belonging to a person h« can work at any time whatever charm he likes 
upon that person. It is said that the singer breathes upon his medi- 
cine bag before working a .charm. 

A detailed account of the use of medicine in connection with cer- 
tain songs is given at the close of this section. 

One of the songs used at the dance which follows a Mide' ceremony 
expresses the idea of a contest between two members of the Mide'- 
wiwin to determine whose medicine is the stronger, the result of the 
contest to be determined by the effects produced by the two medicines. 

The strength of his medicine is the measure of the power of a 
Mide'wlnrnl. 

Origin 

Narrative by Na'waji^pic.o^kwe (" woman dwelling among the rocks")" 

The Chippewa believe in many manido^, or spirits. The highest of them all is 
called Kijie^ manido', literally translated, "Uncreated Spirit." Those connected 
with the Mide^ are (1) Mide^ manido^, the Mide^ spirit, and (2) four manido', one at 
each point of the compass. These are called Wabununk'daci' manido^, the East 
spirit; Ca^wanunk'daci^ manido^, the South spirit; Ningabi'aniink^daci^ manido', 
the West spirit; and Kiwe^Inunk^daci^ manido', the North spirit. In the Mide' 
it is also the belief that there are four "layers" beneath the earth and four above 
the earth. These "layers," or planes, are distinct from each other. 

Originally all the inhabitants of the earth (Chippewa Indians) who were to learn 
the Mide'' lived on Madeline island, in Lake Superior, and in that portion of the 
country. They were selected by the Mide^ manido^ to be taught the Mide^ religion. 

There was first a consultation among the four manido^ (East, South, West, and 
North). This took place at the center of the earth, not under the earth, but at some 
place far away. There they sat together and talked and decided to teach the Mide'' 
to these particular Indians. 

So the East manido'' was selected to go among these Indians and teach them. 
Before he left the others he told them that they must get everything ready and 
decide exactly how the Mide^ should be taught to the Indians. Of course the 
East manido^ could not approach the Indians in his spirit form, so he was born of 
an old woman who had lived with her husband all her life but had had no children. 
This old couple lived on Madeline island. 

a The narrator is a prominent member of the Mlde'wlwln on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota. 
The narrative was interpreted by Mrs. Mary Warren English, sister of Wilham Warren, the author of 
"History of the Ojibwa," and is given in the exact words of the interpreter. An Indian who is familiar 
with the Mide' traditions on the Bois Fort reservation states that this is substantially the belief held 
there concerning the origin of the Mide'. 



22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

The people were astonislied and said, "He must be a wonderful i>erson to be born 
in this way," so both mother and child were treated with great respect. 

He was indeed a wonderful child. Whatever he said came true. He would say 
to his father, "Go and get a bear," and his father would find one without any diffi- 
culty. It was no effort at all for the family to get enough food. The child grew up 
rapidly, and when he was a young man he had as his friend and companion one who 
was his mother's brother's son — his cousin. 

When he grew up he began to consider, "I must begin to instruct these Indians in 
the Mide'; that is the purpose for which I came." 

After thinking this over he said to the old man, his father, "We will go on a journey 
to the end of the lake;" his mother went with them. The point to which they 
went was not where Duluth now stands, but was where Superior is located. This 
was the location of the old town of Fond du Lac. 

They reached this place and stayed four days. On the fourth day a terrible storm 
came from the northeast, sweeping across the lake . During the storm the East manidc' 
said to his father and mother, "My cousin at Madeline island is very ill; we must 
go back." 

His father said, "It is impossible to even put the canoe on the water in such a 
Btorm." 

Then the East manido^ said, "Put the canoe on the water, and the waves will at 
once subside." 

As soon as his father put the canoe on the water the storm subsided. 

It was about noon when this happened, and the distance to Madeline island was 
about 80 miles, but they paddled so fast that they reached there before sundown. 
When they arrived they found that the cousin had been dead four days, but the body 
had been kept so that they could see him. 

The East manido^ told his father and mother and their friends not to weep for the 
young man. Then the next morning he told the people to make a long lodge extend- 
ing east and west, such as is now used for the MTde^. He showed them how to make 
it with the top open and the sides of birch bark and leaves, and he said that they 
must all bring tobacco and cooked food. In the center of the lodge he placed a Mide^ 
pole, and told the Indians to sit in rows around the lodge; he also made a MTde' 
drum and rattles, such as are still used. 

West of the pole and a few feet away he placed the hewn coffin of the dead man; 
on the south side of the lodge he seated the relatives and friends. 

Then he told his father to take the Mide^ drum and sing. 

The old man said, "I do not know how to sing." 

His son said, "Just try; make the effort and you will be able to sing." 

Then the East manido^ spoke to the parents of the dead man and to his own parents, 
saying, "I am about to leave you. I will be absent four days. You must stay here 
continuously and do every day as I have told you to do to-day." The old man 
promised to sing the Mide^ songs and do everything as he had been told to do. 

Then the East manido' took vermilion paint and also blue paint and made marks 
across the faces of the parents of the man and also his own parents — streaks across 
their foreheads, the lowest red, then blue and red alternately. Then he started 
away and said he would return on the morning of the fourth day. He went through 
the air toward the eastern sky. They could see him go. 

After he had disappeared the old man took the Mide^ drum and sang more and more 
Mide^ songs. They came to him one after another. He was assisted by his son. 
Even while his son was absent he directed him spiritually. 

During the four days that the East manido^ was absent the sun shone constantly. 
There was not a cloud and the wind did not blow. 

On the morning of the fourth day they looked toward the east and saw the sky 
streaked with colors like those he had painted on their foreheads. The Indians all 
looked in that direction with expectation. 



dexsmore] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 28 

All this time the old man had been drumming and singinc;. 

A little before noon they heard a peculiar sound in the sky. It was from the east. 
Some one was calling Wa, hi hi, hi, as they call in the Mide^ ceremony. They 
watched the sky and saw four Indians walking toward them in the sky, giving this 
call. Each Indian had a living otter in his hand. 

The East manido^ came down to the Mide' inclosure, lifted the drapery, and allowed 
the others to pass in. The four manido' came in and took their stand at the east end 
of the lodge. A little beyond the center was the coffin of hewn logs in which lay the 
body of the young man, who had now been dead eight days. 

The four manido^ held the otters with the right hand near the head and the left 
hand below. These otters were their medicine bags. 

The East manido' stood first in the line. He began to sing, went halfway to the 
coffin, blew on his medicine bag, and shot from there toward the coffin. Then the 
top of the coffin burst open, and the East manido' marched around the lodge and took 
his place at the end of the line. 

Then the next one, the South manido', did exactly as the East manido' had done. 
When he had shot, the young man opened his eyes and breathed. Then the South 
manido' took his position at the end of the line. 

Next came the West manido'. When he had shot, the young man raised up and 
looked at the manido'. 

Last came the North manido^, and when he had shot the young man rose up entirely 
well in every respect. 

Then these four manido'' began to talk to the Indians, and to tell them that this waa 
the method by which they were to treat the sick and the dead, and that the East 
manido' would instruct them in all they were to do. 

Then these manido' told the Indians that they would never see them again. The 
manido' would never come to earth again, but the Indians must offer them gifts and 
sacrifices, which would be spiritually received. They must always remember that 
the Mide' was given to them by the manido'. 

The East manido' taught them the religion of the Mide' and put souls in their bodies 
and arranged how these souls should live in the next world. A great many times 
some of these Mide' people have a trance in which they follow the spirit path and see 
their dead friends. They also receive messages in dreams. They are especially 
liable to do this when sorrowing for their friends. 

It is told to Mide' members that about halfway to the Spirit Land there is a punish- 
ment place where fire burns out all that is evil in them. Sometimes there is so 
little left of the person that he turns into a frog. There are many little frogs in that 
place, but the good pass through it unharmed. This is the only phase of punishment 
taught, except that if a person dies while drunk he will remain drunken forever and 
his punishment will be an eternal and unquenchable thirst. 

Those initiated into the Mide' are instructed how to lead a good life. These instruc- 
tions are given only to the members. Less heed is paid to the instructions than in 
the old days, but very sick people are still restored by means of the Mide'. 

The narrator stated further that she had taken four degrees in the 
society and received four great instructions, and that she tried to 
live according to them. She stated that she 'Voukl blow on her 
medicine bag and produce evil results upon those who displeased 
her, provided they were not of the IMide';" she "would be powerless 
against a member of the Mde'wiwin." She "would not, however, 
exert this evil power, for it would displease the Mide' manido'. Some 
do this and it always reacts in evil upon themselves." 



24 BUEEAtr OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

Such is the story of the Micle', which the Chippewa beheves that 
he received from the manitlo' who came to him from the morning sky. 

Description of Diagram Representing the Path of Life 

In the exphination of this diagram « (fig. 3) the usual custom of 
retaining the exact words of the interpreter has been followed. 
The description is as follows: 

This diagram represents the path of life from youth to old age, the tangent which 
appears at each angle representing a temptation. There are seven of these tempta- 
tions. 

The first tangent represents the first temptation which comes to a young man. 
If he yields to it he will not live long. 

The second tangent represents the second temptation, and the penalty for this also 
is that he will not live long. 

With the third temptation the element of religious responsibility appears, and the 
man (supposedly a member of the Mide'wlwin) is asked: "How did you act when 
you were initiated into the Mide'wiwin? Were you respectful to the older members, 
and did you faithfully fulfill all obligations? " 

The fourth tangent is placed beyond the angle of the line. It represents a tempta- 
tion coming to a man in middle life. 




Fig. 3. MIde' diagram of the path of life. 

With the fifth temptation the man begins to reflect upon his own length of days, 
and asks himself: "Have you ever been disrespectful to old age? " 

The sixth temptation returns to the religious idea, and asks whether all religious 
obligations have been fulfilled. 

The seventh temptation is said to be the hardest of all, and if a man can endure 
it he will live to the allotted age of man. At this time an evil spirit comes to him, 
and if he has even so much as smiled during a Mide^ ceremony, he must reckon 
with it then. 

The word "temptation," as used in this connection, implies pri- 
marily a trial of strength and motive. There seems a significance 
in the fact that, with the exception of the first and last, these tan- 
gents occur after an angle or turn in the line, suggesting that some 
sharp turn in the life of the man is followed immediately by this 
testing of his character. 

Initiation Ceremony of the First Degree 

The following description of an initiation ceremony is compiled 
from statements made by several members of the Mide'wlwm, all of 
whom belong to the Mille Lac band of Chippewa, but are now living 
on the Wliite Earth reservation. The entire account has been veri- 

a Drawn l)y the elder Main'ans, the explanation being interpreted by Mr. John C. Carl, a graduate ol 
Haskell Institute. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 


BULLETIN 45 PLATE 3 






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/^^oMf^ 


.i% 


IRSf"^ 


£^ 


/T^ 




■/»<r 


J0 


M^ 




f 


9 




W ■ 



MAIN'ANS 



ULLETIN 45 PLATE 4 




WA'WIEKUM'IG 



dessmoue] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 25 

fied, being translated into Chipj^ewa and pronounced correct 1)Y 
members of the ]\lide'\vhvln." 

The ceremony described is that of initiation into the first degree. 
Initiation into the second degree differs shghtly from the first, and 
initiation into the higher degrees is said to be different from the 
lower degrees in many important respects; yet it is possible for ]^er- 
sons to be initiated into different degrees at the same ceremon3\ 
It is also possible for a person to take two or even more degrees 
at the same time, but this requires large gifts and extended instruc- 
tion and is seldom done. 

The first dut}" of the novitiate is to notify the old man whom he 
desires as leader of the ceremony. This man consults with the novi- 
tiate and selects four others to assist in the ceremon}" of initiation. 
These do not usually hold as high degrees as the leader, but they 
are expected to give part of the instructions and are familiar with the 
duties of their office. A man is also selected to act as herald and 
general director of the ceremony. This officer is called oc'l^ahe'wis. 

The first duty of the oc'kabe'wis is to announce the ceremony 
to the members of the ^lide'wiwin and invite them to attend. He 
carries tobacco, notifies the people that the ceremon}' is to be held, 
tells them to smoke the tobacco, and also mentions, in the order of 
their importance, the persons who will take part in the ceremony. 

At the appointed time the people move their lodges and camp 
near the place where the ceremony is to be held. 

The initiators and the friends of the candidate have been prepar- 
ing for the ceremony and have built the sweat lodge. This is 
built wherever desired, and there is no prescribed direction for its 
opening. Four poles are used in its construction, as the candidate 
is to be initiated to the first degree. Six poles would be used if the 
second degree were to be taken. These four poles are firmly planted 
in the ground at points corresponding to the four corners of a square. 
The poles diagonally opposite are then fastened together, forming 
the framework of the roof, the binding together of the two poles 
into one symbolizing the lengthening of life, which is accomplished 
by means of the Mide'. Sheets of birch bark are spread over the 
poles to form the sides and roof. 

The first ceremonial act on the part of the initiators consists in 
entering the sweat lodge. A fire is built outside the entrance. Stones 

oAccounts of the ceremony were given by two Chippewa bearing the same name, but not related to each 
other. These were Maiii 'fins ("little wolf"), an aged man (see pis. 3,6) who is most desirous that his native 
beliefs shall be correctly interjireted to his white brethren, and Main'fins, a younger man, who retains with 
remarkable accuracy the details of the ceremony as it was given in the old days at Mille Lac. 

Wa'wiektlm'Ig (''the round earth") (see pi. 4) and his wife Na'waji'bigo'kwe ("woman dwelling among 
the rocks") are memliersof the Mide'wiwin in high degrees and have given valuable assistance in e.xplalning 
the songs and symbols; also Jiwa'blkito' ("resounding metal"), who holds the fourth degree, and De'- 
hwawPn'dilnk ("eating noisily "). plate 8, who holds the sixth degree, in the MIde'wIwIu. Supplementary 
Jnformatiou has beeu received from all the singers of Slide' songs. 



26 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

are heated and laid in the center of the lodge and frequently sprinlcled 
with water by means of a wisp of brush, the steam enveloping the 
bodies of the men. It frequently happens that one or two women 
are among those who are to assist at the initiation. They do not 
enter the lodge but stand outside, joining in the songs. Mide' songs 
are sung in the sweat lodge, and the mitl'gwaklk' (Mide' drum) is 
used. The leader of the entire ceremony is usually the leader in the 
sweat lodge also. There is no prescribed length of time for remain- 
ing in the sweat lodge, but several days are allowed for this portion 
of the ceremony, at least four days being allowed if four men hold- 
ing high degrees are in attendance. 

On the first evening and on each succeeding evening before the 
initiation the men who are to assist in the ceremony sing in their 
lodges, and all who desire may enter the lodges and dance. The 
leader of the entire ceremony sings first in his lodge, drumming on 
his mitfgwaklk'. The man next in importance answers from his 
lodge, and when he has finished the other men who are to take part 
in the initiation sing in their lodges in the order of their importance, 
" to show how glad they are that this person is to join the IMlde'wIwln." 
Then they all sing together, each his own song in his own wigwam. 

Each Mide'wini'nl has his own set of songs, some of which he has 
composed and some of which he has purchased for large sums of 
money or equal value in goods. It occasionally happens that two 
men have the same song, but this is a coincidence. It is not permis- 
sible for one man to sing a song belonging to another unless he has 
purchased the right to sing it. The songs owned by individuals are 
those connected with the use of medicine, and when a man buys a 
song he receives some of the medicine for use. 

During the evenings which precede the initiation ceremony it is cus- 
tomary for members of the Mide'wiwKn to enter the lodges of the lead- 
ers and ask for instruction or information regarding the Mtde'. For 
this purpose a person would go, if possible, to the Mide'winfnl who 
initiated him, as the men always take an interest in those whom they 
have initiated and require smaller gifts from them. The person desir- 
ing such assistance takes a kettle of food or some other gift, enters 
the lodge while the man is singing, and waits until he finishes the 
song, thereupon placing the gift before him and asking the desired 
instruction or advice, which is willingly given. One who does not 
wish to ask a favor may enter any lodge and dance without pre- 
senting a gift. 

The following is an example of the songs which the Mide'winl'nl 
sing in their lodges during the evenings preceding the initiation 
ceremony. Other songs for similar use are given at the close of this 
chapter. It should be remembered that the songs given in connec- 
tion with this ceremony are representatives of a class and not 
obligatory. 



DEN'SMOHE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 27 

This song was sung by O'doni'gini ("hip bono"), an old man who is 
said to bo especiaUy skilled in the use of medicine. In connection 
with the song he gave the following narrative: 

There was once an old man who was a member of the Mide''wiwin, and knew the 
use of all kinds of medicines and their songs. This old man had a nephew to whom 
he taught the songs and the use of the medicines. The young man's name was Awi^- 
hinedja', and he was anxious to become very powerful. After a time the old man 
said: "My nephew, I can teach you no more; you know all that I know and now 
you will be a leader of the Mide^iwin." But the young man was not satisfied. He 
brought many presents to his uncle in order that his uncle might try to remember 
still more. 

The old man said: "You are certainly very determined," and the young man 
replied, "I know it." 

The old man said: "My nephew, if you arp as determined as this you will find out 
whatever you desire. Come with me." 

Then the old man took his nephew far into the woods saying: "We are going where 
there is a river." So they walked on and on until they came to a rocky gorge. They 
stood at the edge of the cliff, and looking down they saw a river far below them. 
There were trees beside the river, but the cliff on which they stood was far above the 
tops of the trees. 

Then the old man said: "Jump down to the river," and the young man jumped 
down, crashing through the tree tops and falling dead upon the rocks below. His 
body was so crushed that it was not like a human body any more. 

Four bears came and walked around his body, singing this song. When the 
young man regained consciousness he heard the bears singing; when he opened 
his eyes he saw the bears walking around him, and when they had walked around 
him four times he rose up strong and well. 

Then the four bears began to walk up the cliff and the young man followed them. 
The four bears and the young man walked up the sheer face of the cliff as though it 
were level ground. At the top they found the old man waiting for them. 

"Now, my nephew," he said, "you are as great a medicine-man as I." 

So Awi'hinedja' became a teacher and leader in the Mlde'wiwin. 

No. 1. Song of the Four Bears (Catalogue no. I89)a 

Sung by O'deni^gun 

Analysis. — This song follows closely the 
intervals of the fourth five-toned scale '' and 
is sung with the vibrato which characterizes 
the dancing songs of the Mide', making the in- 
tonation somewhat indistinct. A compari- 
son between the metric units of voice and drum s„^,.p,eTURENo. i. Thisdraw- 

shoWS that 3 metric units of the voice are ap- inp: shows the men emerging 

proximately equal to 2 metric units of the ^Z.^^^ J'^.^^.t, 

drum. This suggests the rhythm commonly cUIT. in a similar manner the 

knowu as "two against throe," but the voice- ^-J "i^rS'T m.T 
pulses are grouped in double measures with drawing. 

oTlie catalogue numbers used throughout this paper correspond respectively with the numbers 
designating the phonograph records of the songs, which are preserved in the Bureau of American 
Ethnology. 

6 See p. 7. 




28 



BtTREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bvr.L. 43 



few exceptions, and there is no coincidence between voice and drum. 
The 3-4 measures are unmistakal)le in ihythm and occur in both ren- 
ditions of the song. A strong feeling for the submediant is evident 
in this melody. 

The song closes with the exclamatory phrases which characterize 
the Mide' songs and which can not be accurately transcribed. The 
notation will, however, give an idea of this peculiarity. 



Voice M. M. J=168 

Drum M. M. J =104 

( Drum in unaccented eighth notes) 




A - wi-hi-ne- dja ha ni 



\vi - do-se 



ma ha a - wi-hi-ue - dja 






ha ni 









:f^=n 



:2z 



^z^ 



wi - do-se 



ma a wi ha ni 



wi - do-se 



-^ 5— r-^ — \ — u-r- tr-1 — 

1 ^ — ^—^4-- ^ ^ ' 


a 


— ^ 





hi we na hi de - mu - sa 



hi 



na a - wi-hi-ne -dja 



S^ 



E^=S 



:2: 



4: 



^=^ 






ha ni 



wi - do-se 



ma a xoi ha ni 



wi- do-se - ma 



±L 



^ 



^^ 



d=d: 



«~^ 



hi we na wa hi yu vki hi yil 

Druje 



:=^ 



Drum-rhythm 
Drum J= 104 



etc. 



Awi'Tiinedja^ (Man's name) 

Ni^widos'ema I am walking with him 

In'ade'musa' Alaa! Alas! 



DENSMOUB] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 29 

After all have been in the sweat l()(lji:e a council of the initiators is 
called by the leader. This is held for the purpose of deciding wliat 
part each is to take in the initiation ceremony. The person to be 
initiated is present at this council. 

The council may be held in any of the lodges. The leader sits at 
the left of the entrance; beside him is his mitfgwakik', and before him 
is spread a blanket, given by the person to be initiated as a part of 
the prescribed offering. The candidate for initiation sits at the right 
of the leader; at the opposite side of the lodge sit the other four 
initiators, while the oc'kabe'wis comes and goes as needed. 

When all are assembled a discussion is held as to who will be best 
adapted to certain parts of the ceremony. One man is selected to 
be the first to "shoot" the candidate for initiation. This man is 
called ne'mita'maHh' — a special word which can not be literally trans- 
lated; he was said, to be "like the man who sits in the bow of the 
boat to watch which way the boat is going." The next person to be 
selected is the man who is to be the last to "shoot" the candidate for 
initiation. This man is called we'daked' , and is said to be "like the 
steersman who sits in the stern of the boat and guides it." 

After these two have been selected the leader turns to the ne'mita'- 
maun' and says, "You have been appointed by us; do as you think 
best in the performance of your duties; we do not command you, 
for we respect you and have confidence in your ability." He then 
extends his hands over him and places the miti'gwakik' before him. 

The ne'mita'maiin' then sings as many songs as he likes, the person 
to be initiated rising and dancing before him as he sings. 

When the ne'mita'maun' has finished singing he turns to the man 
next him and says, " Nikdn (my Mide' brother), there must be some- 
thing in you since you were chosen to take part in this ceremony." 
He strikes the miti'gwakik' three times, saying ho ho ho, and hands 
it to the man next to him, who sings as he has done and, in turn, 
passes the drum to the man who sits next to him. 

The men of lesser importance are expected to do little except sing 
a few songs. 

This council takes a long time and after it is finished the leader has 
no further responsibility, though he may be consulted by those to 
whom he has delegated authority. 

Alaih'ans stated that when he was one of the initiators he sang the 
following song, which was taught him by the old man who initiated 
him into the Mide'wTwm. In explanation of the song he said that a 
manido' came to teach the Mide' to the Indians, and at that time 
stopped on a long point of land which projects into Lake Superior at 
Duluth. The song refers to this incident. (See p. 22). The person 
to be mitiated would not dance during this song. 



30 



BUKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 2. Song of the Manido' (Catalogue no. 238j 

Sung by Main^ans (" little wolf ") 

Voice J =152 
Drum J =1.52 

( Drum-vliythm similar to No. 1 ) 




Na-wai - i he he ni mi si 



ndn na-wai 



i he he ni ml si 



||5|=^=P=t 



_-Mi7_if±zf 



4=£^^ 



:^— ^— F^— ^- 



t-C 



IS'=^Efl4 F . 



ha=f=: 



Lg 



niJn na-wai 



i he he nl ml si 



nun ua-wai 



i he he nl 






:#: 



jtjiii: 



:j=d- 



:tiit 









nyn na-wai 



i he he nl ml si 



nun iia-wai 



i he 



he nl ml si 



nun na-wai 



i he he nl ml si 



I 



=F==EE 



bi 



ba 



ha-ha - wi 



yan 



na - wai 



Nawaii' On the center of a peninsula 

Ni^bawiySi/ I am standing 

Analysis. — This sono; is melodic in structure, l)ej::ins on tlie twelfth 
and with one exception contains only the tones of the fourth hve-toncd 
scale, the most frequent interval of progression heing the 
minor third The notes marked (■ were slightly prolonged 
in all the renditions. This })r()longing of the tone was uni- 
form but not sufficient to be indicated by a note value. 
Attention is directed to the fact that with the introduction 
of the second word the melody does not begin an entire 
repetition but soon returns to a point near the opening of 
the song, the remainder of the melody being the same as 
in the first. 

The following song is similar to no. 2, except that the 
person to be initiated would dance during this song. It 
may also be sung in the Mide'wigan (lodge in which the ceremony 
is held) after the initiation. 




densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 3. Dancing Song 
Sung by Main^ans 



31 

(Catalogue no. 239) 



Voice ^— 108 
Drum J— 108 
(Drum in quarter notes) 






& 



X 



Er= 



_^_f_ 



:=P 



-f—0—»- 



=F== 



Ho wi-gan-e 



ho wi-gan-e ho wi-gan-e ho wi-gan-e 



^a=l?3i^ 



5^ 

ho 



"j-s ^— a<-^'— a*- ^- 



-4:—i 9 » ■ 






^0 wl-gan-e 



ho wi-gan-e ho wi-gan-e 



aaiS^^^^ j^ggsi-lJEp^gg 






Ao 



wi-sran-e 



Aa wi-jran-e 



ho wi-gan-e ho wi-ii'an-e 




ho o-go- tci - tci - yan -0 



(2- 



W=t 



W=W=i 



•=t:Pzp^p=p--p=J: 



Ao wi-ffan-e 






Ao 



wi-e;an-e 



Ao 



wi-gan -e 



Ao 



wi-gan - e 




wi -ean -e 



wi-gan - e 






£4: 



izTjizzt-^l^-^- 



1:4; 



:^ 



:j=p: 



:=F1 -1ir- 



H 



/lO 



wi-gan - e 



ho wi-gan-e 



ho 



wi-ffan - e 



ho 



O'gotcitci'yane' In form like a bird 

Siwa^wigane^ It appears 

Analysis. — This song is based on the second five-toned scale." It 
begins on the octave and the principal interval of descent is the 
minor third. The long note at the beginning of the measure is often 
slightly prolonged. The metric unit of voice and drum is the same, 
but the voice deviates somewhat, while the drum is maintained with 
mechanical regularit3\ This song is given with the peculiar vibrato 
which characterizes the Alkie' dancing songs. 



oSeep. 7. 



32 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 




Before initiation the candidate is taken into the woods by the 
initiators and given an ''instruction," each man talking to him for a 
long time. Only one such instruction is given to a candidate for the 
first degree, the number of instructions corresponding 
to the degree to be assumed. In the first degree the 
instruction is chiefly of a moral nature, the candidate 
being enjoined to lead a virtuous and upright life. He 
is taught also the names and uses of a few simple herbs 
which he is expected to secure and carry in his Mide' 
bag. He may find these herbs for himself or procure 
them from some other member of the order. In the 
higher degrees the instructions pertain to the mysteries 
of the Mide', the properties of rare herbs, and the 
nature of vegetable poisons. 

During the days which precede the ceremony it is cus- 
tomary for the leading members of the Mide'wiwhi to 
hold preparatory meetings. Any man may prepare a 
feast and invite others to attend, each guest bringing a 
pan or plate in whichhe carries away a portion of the food. 
At the close of such a meeting the host rises and says, "We will 
all sing and dance before you go." The principal guest lifts his 
pan of food, then all rise and sing the following song, the words of 
which mean "I am raising it up." This refers to the pan of food, 
which is considered to be offered to the manido'. The same song could 
be sung if a sick person were to be treated by the Mide' and were 
present in the lodge. The words would then be understood as refer- 
ring to the sick person. 

After the singing and dancing the principal guest leads and all 
follow '-^^ ys he walks around the lodge and out of the door. 



Song picture 
NO. 3. It is in- 
teresting to 
note that the 
drawing sug- 
gests the slcele- 
ton of a bird 
rather than a 
living bird. 



No. 



(Catalogue no. 190) 



4. Preparatory Song 

Sung by O^deni^gun 

ATidysis. — This song moves freely along the tones of the 
fourth five-toned scale. The basis of the song consists of two 
major triads on G flat, one in the upper and one in the lower 
octave, with E flat as the passing tone, but the presence of 
A flat as an accented tone classifies the song as melodic 
rather than harmonic. We can not safely infer a chord 
unless more than one tone of it occurs in the melody, and 
there is no contiguous tone which can be associated with A 
flat in diatonic chord relation. 

The chief musical interest of this song lies in the fact 
that the metric unit is the measure, not the individual 
part of the measure. There is no apparent relation between the metric 
units of voice and drum. 




densmorb] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



33 



A variation between the words as sung and the words accom- 
panying the translation will be found in many Chippewa songs. 
Maii}^ words are dismembered and have meaningless vowel sounds 
inserted between the syllables; in many instances only a portion of 
a word is used, and the pronunciation is often changed. Throughout 
this work the words beneath the music are transcribed as given by 
the singer. The words translated are the correct Chippewa and a 
comparison between the two will show the changes made by the 
singer. Thus in the present instance it will be seen that the syllable 
Ti we or wi is substituted for the two syllables nin-do, which are the 
beginning of the Chippewa word; the syllable hi is also inserted in 
the word. ]\Ieaningless syllables are italicized, whether inserted 
between parts of a word or between the words of the song. 

Voice <5) = 84 



Drum 



lr= 



108 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 




Hwe - na - gi 

r7^ ^ ^ • — •— 1 


- wi - na hwe - i 


ja - gi - wi - 
, • • 


na 


^ 


wi - 
— • 1 


^t^^-t«J- IJ- 


—# ^— 

1 — r 


p'—hH 


— F — F — 


-f2 


_^_ 




^'-'b 




1 — 1 




. 


1 





na - gi - wi - hi - na,- hi - na wi - na - gi - wi - na . 



aiifcSEt 



SW 



a^^^± 



iES 



i 



na - ga - wi - hi - ua 



na 



wi - ua 



WORDS 



Nindona''giw-ina^ I am raising it (or him) up 

On the day before the initiation a feast is given in his own lodge 
by the candidate for initiation. Invitations are delivered by the 
oc'kabe'wis, and most of the guests are women. A man is appointed 
leader of this feast, and when it is time for the guests to depart he 
leads in the singing of two songs, shaking his rattle as he sings. 
Anyone who knows these songs may join the leader in singing them. 

During the first song the guests stand in a line, the leader being 
next the door, and they dance as they stand in their places, the 
dance step consisting in the rhythmic transference of the weight from 
one foot to the other. Each of these songs is sung only once. 

Before singing the first song the leader might say, ''I have learned 
this song from an old man, and I will sing it as well as I can. " The 
words of the first song refer to the pan of food which each guest is 
allowed to take home with him. 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 3 



34 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

(Catalogue no. 240) 



No. 5. ''My Pan of Food" 

Sung by Main^ans 



VOICK Jr 126 

Drum J ;= 92 

(Drum-rhythm .similar to No. 1) ^__^ 

—^-y \ rl ! ! — I rh-H— t^r^ 1 r^- 



:^i|3 



SB 



E4: 



-W-^P- 



Ha ni wa - kon i - na ha ha ha ha ha ha ni wa-koii i 
Voice J. = 88 



=§#=P 



iS: 



t 



li#: 



It 



:t^ 



:t: 



ua ha ni 



ha 



ha ni wa koii i 



:£)i 


:— (2— 


-f=f^r-"^-=En 


(^ ' 


H — 1 


r-^—P—» •—m-r<5 — '*— ^— 1 

—^ h 1 ^-+(=2 1 1 



S"* 



na Act ni wa-kon 1 



-P ^- 



ha ha 111 wa- koil i - na ha ni 



pz=jr=p ._ 



P—P 



:t=[=±[:=z:t^tzht=t=f 



-P — P- 



wa- kofi i - na ha ha ni wa-kon i - na ha ni wa-kon i - na 



-<&—. — ^<^- 



ha 



ha ni wa -koii i - na ha ni wa - koil i - ua 



-^-. .^.. 



:t:; 



^i^s^ 



ha 



-#— ^- 



^^ 



nin - do - na - gun e 
Harmonic analysis: -"""^ 



he 



ha ni wa- koii i - na 




ha ni 



Wa''koii On my arm 

Ina^ Behold 

Nin^dona'giin My pan of food 



Song picture Analysis. — This song is plainly harmonic in structure, as 

NO. 6. The i\yQ melody tones follow the intervals of the maior triad in 

man holds, "^ •ii- 

his dish of the uppcT and lower octaves, the sixth being used as a 

food, as passing tone. Two renditions of the song were secured, 

stated in the ,?.. ., ^i . 

song. each beginning with several measures m slower time. 



DEXSiMORE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



35 



The rhythm in these measures is uncertain and can be only ap- 
proximately indicated, but after the change of time the metric 
unit is marked by the pulse of the measure beginning, which is very 
regular. 

Before singing the second closing song the leader might say, "I 
will now depart and announce that the feast is ended. " 



No. 6. ''My Pipe" 

Sung by Main^ans 



(Catalogue no. 241) 



VoicK J- 108 

Drum J — 96 
(I)rum-rhytliai similar to No. 1 ) 




m 



uin-do - ua - si - ci - ma loe iiiu - do na - si - ci 



we iiiii - do - ua - gi - ci - ma we niu - do - ua - gi - ci - ma 



p- • _# f _ -^ ^^^ 



-i=i 



d= 



we nin ->do - na - gi - ci - ma we uin-do-pwa-gfin e niu - do 




Niudo'nagicima' I am raising 

Nin'dopwa^giin My pipe 

Analysis. — The singing of this song was i)receded by 
very rapid drumming, the drum l)eats being in the value 
of sixteenth notes, at J'=144 (two drumbeats to each beat 
of the metronome at 144) ; with this rapid drumming the 
ejaculatory ho ho ho ho of the Mide' was given. 

This song begins on the unaccented portion of the 
measure, which is somewhat unusual. The melody begins 
on the twelfth and follows the descending intervals of the fourth five- 
toned scale. The harmonic basis is the same as in the preceding song, 
but the use of the second as an accented tone places it (according to 
our present classification) among the songs whose structure is melodic 
rather than harmonic. 



Song picture 
NO. 0. The 
man raises 
his dish of 
food and also 
his pipe. 



36 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

At the close of this song the leader la3's down his rattle, raises his 
hands with palms extended, and motions the people to follow him as 
he dances out of the lodge. 

It is expected that those who have been invited to this feast will 
build the Mide'wigan (Mide' lodge), where the initiation ceremony is 
to be held. This is done soon after the close of the feast, and as so 
many are at work — some cutting the poles and others cutting brush 
or bringing dry hay — the building of the lodge requires only a short 
time. 

Plate 5 shows a Mide' lodge with a ceremony in progress. At this 
ceremony Wa'wiekiim'ig w^as advanced to a high degree. The struc- 
ture is made of a framework of ])oles interlaced overhead to form a 
roof whose arch suggests the dome of the sky. In unfavorable 
weather this framework is covered with branches. The size of the 
lodge varies according to requirement. It is usually from 50 to 100 
feet long, 12 to 15 feet wide, and about 8 feet high. In the old days 
several hundred i)eople attended the Alide'wiwin and the lodge at 
that time is said to have been so long that a person at one end 
could not hear voices at the other end and could judge the progress 
of the ceremony only by the sound of the drum. 

For an initiation into the first degree the lodge (see fig. 4) extends 
east and west, with a door at each end. For an initiation into the 
fourth degree the lodge is built with four doors — east, west, north, and 
south. If necessary for warmth, two fires are made, one in front of 
each door. A large stone is placed a short distance west of the fire 
which burns near the eastern door. This stone symbolizes the power 
of the ]\lide' as a defense, one man stating that the Mide' is like a 
stone to throw at an enemy. West of the center of the lodge is the 
pole belonging to the person to be initiated and known as his medicine 
pole. If he is to take the first degree this pole is decorated with a 
narrow blue band at the top, below wdiich there is a broad band of 
red, the remainder of the pole being unpainted. For an initiation 
into the second degree the pole is decorated with a broader band of 
blue, the width of the band of red remaining the same. It is also 
placed nearer the west door. For the third degree an effigy of a 
bird is placed near the top of the pole, for the fourth degree a cross- 
bar is placed in the same position, and for each succeeding degree 
there is a prescribed form of decoration. 

On the day set for the initiation ceremony, just before sunrise, the 
oc'kabe'wis and the person to be initiated go to the lodge carrying 
on their backs the gifts which the latter wall present to the initiators. 
They go around the lodge four times, enter the east door, and hang 
the gifts upon poles provided for the purpose. These gifts consist 
of blankets and cloth as well as tobacco and food. The oc'kabe'wis 
remains in the lodge to complete the arrangements. 



ULLETIN 45 PLATE 5 




INTERIOR VIEW 









'\ 


ta"*^ 


p^ ^ 




S 


^v^M 


rajgm y •^ f Vt^ 


t^i^A.«^ 


^ ^ T^%^ tt^ <r 


m^ 


^^^^kS 


|ft||| 


|MjB|||W 


^kL^' J^I 


H^^HI 


■P 


^^^B 


i 






1 


^1 


BlL?^^ .x-v^- • .T"''^ ".'jctI^^^B 


■Bjj^^^g 


— . - ^---" T'^y* .^^B^^^B 



EXTERIOR VIEW 



MIDE' LODGE 

These photographs were taken during a Mide' ceremony at Elbow Lake, White Earth reservation, 

May, U»oy 



ULLETIN 45 PLATE 6 




MAIN'ANS AS LEADER OF A MIDE' CEREMONY 



DENSMORB] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 37 

Next a dog is killed for the feast. There is nothing ceremonial in 
either the selection or the killing of the dog; the latter takes place 
at some distance. The body of the dog is laid at the door of the 
lodge and the entire procession steps over it, after which it is carried 
away and cooked. 

Early in the morning, before the hour set for the ceremony, the 
])erson to be initiated goes to the lodge again, accompanied by the 
leader, the four initiators, and the oc'kabe'wis. 

The next event is the sending of the oc'kabe'wis with invitations 
to the members of the ]\Iide'wiwin. These invitations are in the 
form of round sticks about the diameter of a lead pencil and about 6 
inches long. 

From one lodge to another the oc'kabe'wis goes, distributing the 
sticks to those members of the Mide'wiwin who are entitled to attend 
the ceremony. If a person has committed some offense against the 
society he is not included in this invitation. The oc'kabe'wis counts 
the sticks as he gives them out and returning reports the number to 
the initiators, who thus know the number who will be present at the 
ceremony. Only members of the Mkle'wiwin are allowed to be 
present in the lodge during the initiation. This company of people 
have a leader appointed by the man in charge of the ceremony. 
They assemble a short distance from the Mide'wigan, each carrying 
his medicine bag, and an empty pan in which to carry away a por- 
tion of the feast. All are dressed in their finest except two who 
are called za'gimag' , whose duties will be explained. At the proper 
time the leader moves toward the lodge followed by the company in 
single file. They march once around the lodge, singing the follow- 
ing song : 

No. 7. Processional (Catalogue no. 54) 

Sung by Be'cigwi'wizans ("striped boy ") 

Analysis. — This song begins on the fifth of the ke}^ and ends on 
the fifth, having a range of one octave. The tempo is very ra])id, 
and the song is marked by vigorous accents. The 
two words are repeated in each line of the song, ^rrrmJ^^y-^ 
and pronounced very indistinctly. 

At the eastern door the leader of the company ^°'^^' '"'^ture no. t. 

-, The oblong represents 

l^auses and makes a plea to the Mide manido , the Midewigan. m 
with right hand extended and left hand shaking "^^ '^^"ter is a long 

^ , . ^ pole on which are 

his rattle, (bee pi. 6.) Ihree times he advances hung the gifts to be 
as though to enter and as many times withdraws as bestowed by the per- 

son initiQ>t6d Ttis 

though in fear. The fourth time he ])uts his head procession is entering 
and shoulders through the opening and looks the lodge, 
about as though in search of* danger. Then he enters the lodge, fol- 
lowed by the company. Maiii'ans, the elder, stated that in this 



38 



BUREAU or AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 45 



entrance the leader impersonated the bear, who is intimately asso- 
ciated with the Mide'. 

As the company march around the lodge the leader extends his 
hands toward the stone, the miti'gwakik', and the medicine pole. 
This is an act of reverence. 



Voice J =168 
Recorded without drum 

-^ -^ #- -/ 



^ 



s 



©^ 



#: 



:4=t 



4E^^ 



£e£ 



nin-djin- o - cka-na - ki 



pin - di - ge 



yan 



Nin - kjiii - o - 


cka - na - ki 

1 1 


wa 

-•- 


pin - di 


-ge - 


yan 
^» 


F 


-^^«- ^— -^ ^ 


b.— J i 


-E~[|4 -'^ 




1 1 


y 



Sl^ 



:t:=p 



m 



\^=t=z 



nin -djiii - o - cka - na - ki wa 



pin - di - ge - yan 



^^-E^ 



^=P=P= 



i 



TZ^-^-W—^ ^—^-^- 



3=^^ 



he 



he 



g^lE^?^ 



ha ni da ya 



-^—^—n- 



nin-djiil-o - cka-na -ki wa 



■o— [- 



^BEj | ^:^i-g-g i g 



pin-di- ge - yan niu-djin-o - cka-ua-ki wa - pin-di-ge - yan 



gS^ ^^-=^ ^ 



:^ 



t 



niu-djifi - o - cka - na - ki wa - pin - dl - ge - yan 



NinMjmgocka^naki The ground trembles 

Wapin'digeyan' As I am about to enter 

While marching around the inside of the lodge the company sings 
the melody which was sung as they marched around the outside, the 
following words being substituted : 

Cagwani'moyan' My heart fails me 

Wapin'digeyan^ As I am about to enter 

ManidoVigan'in The spirit lodge 

The company marches around the lodge three times, and while 
making the fourth circuit they sit down wherever they like. 

The diagram (fig. 4) shows the arrangement of the Mide'wigan and 
the position of its occupants during the ceremony. The oblong 



DENS moke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



39 



represents the lodge. At each side of the eastern entrance are two 
figures. The first pair are "fiery dragons which disappear into the 
ground if the candidate has the proper oft'ering;" the pair nearest 
the entrance are "servants of the Mide' manido', who may refuse to 
admit the candidate if they are not satisfied with him." The foot- 
prints at the entrance indicate that tlie man who entered impersonated 
the bear. The candiihite sits next to the eastern entrance; beside 
him are tlie leader and the oc'kabe'wis. The four initiators sit near 
the western entrance, on the north side of the lodge; their position 
is, however, not arbitrary. Along the sides of the lodge sit the inem- 



-/- w 




Fig. 4. Diagram showing arrangement of MIde'wTgan during initiation ceremony of first degree. 

(Drawn l)y the elder Main'ans.) 

bers of the Mide'wiwm. A fire burns near each entrance. The stone 
near the eastern entrance is shown, also the medicine pole and the 
pile of gifts beside it. The figure east of the pole shows the second 
position taken by the candidate for initiation; the dot west of the 
stone is where the drum is stationed during the initiation; the two dots 
east of the stone show the position of tlie drum after the initiation, 
at which time it is played by the old leader and the oc'kabe'wis; the 
four dots near the center of the lodge represent mi'gis and will be 
explained later. (See p. 48.) 

The followinii; sons; is sun"; after all are seated. 



No. 8. InTRODXTCTORY Song (Catalogue no. 55) 

Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 

Analysis. — The tempo of this song is even more rapid than the 
preceding, the metric unit being the entire measure. It is based on 
the major triad in the upper and lower octaves, with 
the sixth as a connecting tone, the sixth being more 
prominent than in most songs of similar harmonic 
structure. 



Song picture 
NO. 8. The 
gifts are again 
shown. 



After this song the invitation sticks are collected, 
counted, tied in a bundle and laid at the foot of the 
medicine pole. 



40 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Next a feast is served, each person receiving his or her portion in 
the pan brought for that purpose. At this feast tlie dog is served; 
portions of rice or other food may be carried away but it is required 
that all of the dog be eaten in the lodge. 

Voice Jz=84 
Recorded without drum 



f^ fl fl tl -fl^ 



^ e>-. 






=f==F=? 



A - i -ffwG gi - wi - ml - de 



■Gi-^ 



-»- -•- -0- 



ni - kan a - i-owG 



^' 



-0-0 — •— r-(5'-i 



-• — • «* 



-6'-=- 



-•- -•- -•- 



£EE 



15>— 



I 



gi - wi-ml - de 



wi - 1 - go ni 



kau 



a - i - gwfi gi - wi-mi -de - 



^^^ 



=lH 



^^=ff=ft 



r=t: 






a 



wi-i-go ni - kau a - i-gwfi gi-wi-mi- de - wi-i-go ni - kau. 

WORDS I 

Aigwu' We are now 

Giwi'mide'wiigo' To receive you into the Mide'wiwin 

Nikan' Our MTde^ brother 

Halfway down the lodge sit the za'gimag', whose faces are not 
painted. 

The leader then dances around the lodge carrying the miti'gwakik'. 
He moves along the curves indicated in the diagram (fig. 5). After 




Fig. 5. Diagram showing course followed l)y leader during initiation ceremony of first degree. 

encircling the lodge he leaves the miti'gwakik' in front of the two 
za'gimag', who begin to sing the ni'miwtig' (dancing songs), during 
which any persons who wish may rise and dance in their places. 
There are a large number of these dancing songs and they are 
greatly enjoyed by members of the Mide'wiwin. 

Main'ans, the younger, stated that he sang the following song when 
he was a za'gimag'. The words contain a reference to water. This 
reference occurs frequently in the Mide' songs; it will be noted that 
the water is usually represented as in action — bubbling, flowing, 
seething, or casting up the white Mtde' shells. 



densmorb] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



41 



No. 9. Song of the Za'gimag' (Catalogue no. 242) 
Sung by Main'ans 
Voice J= 120 
Drum J =120 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



-f2- 



■± 



t: 



-^ •— r« 



^^ 



^ 1 ^- — ^ p-f' ^ f' f' — r 



-F r-H- 



:^^ 



Wac 



ke 

3 



boo 






Ao ho ni -\va - a - ac 



ke - a - bo£ 



^ 



ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ni - wa - ha-ha 



wac - ke - a - bog 









:4=?: 



^»-' • »— • 



-F— ^— ^ 



±^ 



Ao Ao ni - wa -Aa-/ia 



wac-ke - a - bos 



Ao /io ni - wa-a-ac- 



-•-^•- 



|S^=J^B3# 



g% 



ke - a - bog o Ao /(O ni - wa - a-a 



i 



wac-ke - a-bog 



± 



Tto Ao 





we -wen - dj 

i — •-= — • — •— •— •-n 


i - d j i - •' 


vfiii e 


he he 
I— i — • — •- 


we- 

— • • r 


wen - 


dji- 


dji- 


wfin 


-Hii 


5—1 h-r-r— ^ 


-^— 


■ r 


k4— 1 h^i — ^ — 


;l f 


^ 


# • 


t ±- 




4 


/— U — 


14 ' ' 1 ' 


-4-1 1 


V— 


L^ 


7- 



e he he he ni-wa - ha-ha - wac-ke -a -bog 



ho ho ni 



Niwa^wacke'abog' A bubbling spring 

We'wendji'djiwufi' Comes from the hard ground 

Analysis. — This song is an excellent example of the manner in which 
ejaculations are interpolated into the Mide' songs. In portions 
of the song the rhythm is rigidly maintained. For instance, in the 
measures containing four quarter notes these notes are of exactly 
the same length, and the difference between the 3-4 
and 4-4 measures is unmistakable, but in the fifth and 
sixth measures, where there is a repetition of the s^d- 
lables, the rhythm is irregular. 

The pulse of the drum is absolutely regular through- 
out. The peculiar succession of measure lengths gives 
an appearance of great rhythmic irregularity, yet the 
metric unit of the quarter note is, with the exceptions mentioned, 
quite regularly maintained. 




Song picture no. 
9. The course of 
the stream is 
shown. 



42 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

Other examples of the ni'miwfig are o;iven at the close of this 
chapter. 

The za'gimag' then carry the miti'gwakik' around the lodge and 
place it west of the stone, where it remains during the rites of 
initiation. 

The leader then encircles the lodge four times, with right hand 
extended, left hand shaking the rattle, and head bent forward; this 
being finished, the oc'kabe'wis takes down the gifts from the place 
where they have been hung; the blankets are folded and laid at the 
foot of the pole, care being taken to have them placed in the proper 
order for distribution, the other gifts being conveniently })laced on 
the ground. 

The person to be initiated is then escorted to the pole by the 
leader, moving along the dotted lines indicated in the diagram (fig. 6). 






Fig. 6. Diagram showing course followed hy candidate, escorted l>j' leader, in dance at MIde' 
initiation ceremony' of first degree. 

He moves slowly at first, then very rapidly, ejaculating hi hi hi, and 
shaking his rattle. 

The candidate is seated on the pile of blankets at the foot of the 
pole, facing the east. 

"VMiile escorting the candidate to the pole the following song may 
be sung: 

No. 10. Escorting THE Candidate (Catalogue no. 237) 

Sung ])y Main'ans 

Analysis. — This song was sung three times, the transcription being 
from the third rendition; the others are identical in the pulse of 
measure beginnings and the outline of intervals, but A^ary slightly in 
unimportant note values. 

This song is a particularly good example of a feature which char- 
acterizes the Mide' songs and which has a direct bearing on the 
problem of musical development. The unvarying portion of the 
song is the pulse of the measure beginnings, which is uniform in all 
the renditions, while the pulse of the "counts" in the measures is not 
mechanically regular and more nearly resembles the rhythm of cere- 
monial speech. This suggests the possibility that the transition from 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



43 



ceremonial speech to song may be by the adoption of large rhythmic 
pulses which are first made absolute, the rhythm of the intervening 
portions being less rigidly controlled and retaining the character of 
ceremonial speech. 



Voice ^ . = 54 

Drum J — 92 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 






E=£="E^"E=-'^^ 



^p=t= 



^L_#L 






Mi-de-wi-ga - a - an gi-wa-ni - no- so he he he he ni - 

[ ? 1 J ^ | T _, ■!— I ^-1 r^^ P ^ r-^ ^ 




ka - a - §-n gi - wa -ui-no - Aa-ni -no ho ho ho ho ni 



-•^^ 



^5fe=b=k=a 



zdt^ 



-ft-^n—ft- 



Az 



^=^=p=i=^=£=^ 



ka - a - an gi - wa-ni-no - se he he ui-k§, - a -an ci 



=^=^'^-^ — h- - -4-P 



wa-ui -no 



so Ae /le ni-ka - d-an gi 



wa - ni - no - se. 



WORDS 

Nikan'' Our Mide' brother 

Giwa'ninose' You are going around 

Mide^wigan The Mide^ lodge 

The rhythm of the drum is mechanically regular and 
its metric unit has no relation to that of the voice. 

After escorting the candidate to the pole the leader 
summons the men previously selected to perform the 
rites of initiation. These men move along the northern 
side of the lodge and take their places at the south side 
of the eastern door, the man designated as ne'mita'maufi' 
being first in the line and the man designated as we'daked' 
being last. Each of these men has a mi'gis (a small 
white shell used in the Mide') in his mouth. The ne'mi- 
ta'matin' then blows on his medicine bag and dances, 
standing in his place. He then walks toward the candi- 
date, ejaculating we ho ho ho ho! and extending his medi- 
cine bag with each ejaculation. As he reaches the can- 
didate he "shoots" him, thrusting the medicine bag 
toward him and ejaculating with great vehemence. It 




Song PICTURE NO. 
10. The candi- 
date for initia- 
tion is seen ap- 
proaching the 
medicine pole. 
The branches of 
the sapling are 
here shown in 
the drawing, 
though they are 
cut when the 
pole is in use. 
In this connec- 
tion thej' sym- 
bolize the life of 
the tree. (Com- 
pare drawings of 
songs nos. 44 
and 55.) 

is dillicult to 



44 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

describe this ejaculation, which is not loud but very forceful, with a 
peculiar throbbing tone. It is exceedingly impressive, and the hearer 
can not fail to realize that the entire power of the speaker is being 
projected toward the person under treatment, whether that treat- 
ment be intended to remove some inner defect, as in the Mide' 
ceremonies, or to cure some bodily ailment, as in the treatment of the 
sick. 

Wlien the ne'mita'maM' ''shoots" the candidate for initiation 
the man is said to feel the force of it in some part of his body and in- 
dicates his responsiveness by laying his hand on his shoulder, knee, or 
whatever part may be affected. The ne'mita'maun' then passes along 
the northern side of the lodge and takes his place at the end of the line. 

The man next to him does precisely what he has done, and is followed 
by the others, who in turn take their places at the end of the line. 
After each "shooting" the candidate indicates in what part of his 
body he feels the effect. 

This "shooting" draws heavily on the resources of the person 
performing it and is very exhausting. A man often calls upon his 
brethren to assist him. They do not leave their places but are 
expected to exert their power in his behalf. A woman frequently 
finds herself unequal to the exertion, although she has been ap- 
pointed one of the initiators. In that case she may ask a man to take 
her place by doing the more exhausting portion of the work. She 
breathes on her medicine bag and hands it to him for his use. 
They move forward together, he walking close behind her, uttering 
the ejaculations and moving the medicine bag in the prescribed 
manner. 

Before the we'daked', or the last of the initiators, moves toward 
the candidate, he may turn to the leader and say, "Now I will stir up 
the spirit that is in me ; I will stand and dance and I ask your assist- 
ance." He then dances in his place. In his hands he holds all 
four of the medicine bags and breathes on them that the power 
may be intensified to the greatest possible degree. "He extends his 
right arm to its fidl length and moves toward the candidate, 
raising the medicine bags and bringing them down with the force 
of a heavy blow as he ejaculates wa a hi hi hi wa a hi hi hi!, throwing 
all the strength of his being into the motion and the rhythmic sound. 
Slowly he moves forward. It is the climax of the entire ceremony 
and the members of the Mide'wiwin wait in, tense silence until the 
candidate falls prostrate on the ground, overcome by the "spirit 
power" of the initiators. 

The following is an example of the song sung at this point in the 
ceremony. Other examples are given at the close of this chapter. A 
large number of these songs is available; the selection is made by 
the leader of the ceremony. 



bensmorb] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



45 



No. 11. First Initiation Song (Catalogue no. (J1) 
Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 
Voice (5^:1^44 
Drum J — 96 

( Drum-rhythui similar to No. 1 ) 

-19- -f9- -0- -•- -»- ^ -m- -0- -•- -•- - 



^ig^|^3^£^EE 



r-r-r 



-F=F= 



±^. 



It 



^K^^-- 



Wa siu-don-dl-ua -wa Aa ni-kan i na wa sin-don-di-na 



S 



^- 



=^=^ 



?= 



wa /la iii - kan i na wa siii -don -di-na - wa ha 



£=P=F 



gi^:^=^=^=F=^=^E±=i =EEf 



• &- 



-f- 



i=g 



:| 



ni - kan i na wa sin-don-di - na - wa ha ni - kan i na 

Interpolation 

1st rendition, after 6tli measure 



^ 



m 



-<9- 



hi 



2d rendition, last measure 



\^^ 






hi hi hi hi 



3d, 4th and 5th renditions, last three measures 

J . = 44 



^4*63: 






hi hi hi hi hi 



hi hi hi hi hi 



hi hi hi hi hi 




Wasu' From a long distance 

Nindon^'dinawa' I am shooting 

Nikan^ My Mide^ brother 

Analysis. — This song is sung during the actual 
"shooting" of the candi(hite and presents an exam- song picture no. ii. 
pie of the combination of song and ejaculation which is used at this 
portion of the ceremony. Six renditions of the song are on the pho- 
nograph record and the interpolated syllables differ in the successive 



46 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



renditions. In order to make this clear, the transcription of the 
song is followed by a transcription of these syllables. The metric 
pulse of the measure beginning is maintained throughout the ejacu- 
lations, although after the second rendition these syllables are given 
in triple time. This shows the i)u]se of the measure beginning to be 
clearly established in the mind of the singer. There is no relation 
between this and the metric unit of the drum. 

After being "shot" by the we'daked' the person who is being 
initiated falls prostrate on the ground with arms extended. While 
he lies on the ground the four initiators gather around him, place 
their medicine bags on his back, and sing the following song: 

No. 12. Second Initiation Song (Catalogue no. 62) 

Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 

Voice J = 72 
Dpum J— 92 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 
-•- -•- -•- -19- 



wm^^^^^ 



:tj 



^ 



~-Wl^ 



ili wi-ua-ke ?u lii hi wi-ua-ke ni hi \Ti-na-ke ni 



#— • 



^— • 



^bSEEEE^SEE 



t: 



seeep 



:li 



SE 



^ 



Sa-ES 



hi hi wi-na-ke ni /ii wi-na-ke ni hi Ai-wi-na-ke ni 



3t=#: 



-d —^—^—*- i^izf^ 



i 



hi wi - ua - ke ni hi hi wi - iia - ke ni hi wi- na - ke ni 

WORDS 

Wa^wina'ke I have shot straight 

Analysis. — This melody begins on the fifth of the key and ends on 
the fifth, having a compass of one octave. It contains only the tones 
of the minor triad and the fourth. There is no relation between the 
metric unit of voice and drum. 

Following this song the four initiators raise the 
candidate to a sitting posture and a mi'gis comes 
from his mouth. One of the initiators then takes 
the ini'gis and walks once around the lodge. Paus- 
ing near the candidate, he breathes on the mi'gis 
and extends it toward the east, breathes on it 
again and extends it toward the south, repeating 
the process and extending the mi'gis toward the 
west, north, and the zenith. This being done, the mi'gis is said to 
disappear again into the body of the person being initiated, who falls 




Song picture no. 12 



DEN smoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



47 



prostrate as before. While he Hes prostrate one of the initiators 
fastens on his back a medicine bag corresponding to the degree he 
has taken. In the first degree this bag is made of the white skin of a 
weasel. The initiators then raise the candidate to his feet and with- 
draw to the eastern end of the lodge, the following song being simg: 

No. 13. Third Initiation Song (Catalogue no. 63) 
Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 
Voice ^ _ 80 
Drum J ^^ 96 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 



z^m 



11^: 



4: 



^ 



f — (*• 



1 



Ha bi - mi - ma-dwe - we ni - in! - de - \vi yan i ha 

-n n — ft—^^ ^ — -^. r-s » — -s— r.. a-^ — ^- 






m^- 



bi - uu - na - dwe 



we 

— *- 



ui - nil - de - wi yan 



bi 



'^- 



mi - ma - ha - dwe 



ni - mi - de - wa - yan e bi - 



9ii= p-- 



i 



ml - ma - ha - dwe 



m 



~=F=1: 



ni - ml -de - wa - yan e bi 



::&■ 



mi ma - ha - dwe 



loe ni - mi - de - wa - yan 



WORDS 



Bi'mimadwe''we There comes a sound 

Nimide^wayan^ From my medicine bag 

Analysis. — Beginning on the twelfth and moving freely along the 
descencHng intervals of the fourth five-toned scale, tliis song is purely 
harmonic in character. It begins on the unaccented 
portion of the measure and contains few interpolated 
syllables. 

After this song the person who is being initiated takes 
his medicine bag and goes toward the four initiators, 
''shooting" first the we'daked', who sits down. After 
encircling the lodge he "shoots" the next in line, and so 
on until all are seated, the lodge being encircled after 
the "shooting" of each man. 

When all are thus seated the person being initiated takes the gifts 
on his arm and presents the proper articles to the leader, the initia- 




SONG PICTURE 
NO. 13. 



48 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHinOLOGY [bull. 45 

tors, and the oc'kabe'wis, personally thanking each for his share in 
the ceremony. 

It is considered that after the distribution of tin se gifts the candi- 
date is fully initiated. 

The next event is the showing of their mi'gis by the four men who 
have performed the initiatory rites. The leader requests them t(j do 
this. A blanket is spread on the ground east of the medicine pole, 
and a man is appointed to stand beside the blanket and receive the 
mi'gis. (Fig. 4 shows four mi'gis laid in the position indicated.) 

The ne'mita'mauil' leads the line of initiators. As they approach 
the blanket each man in turn makes a rasping noise in his throat and 
takes a nii'gis from his mouth. These shells are received by the man 
appointed, who lays them in order on the blanket. Wlien all the mi'gis 
have been deposited there the ne'mita'maun' looks along the line to 
see that all are ready. The men are watching him, and at his signal 
they all replace the mi'gis in their moutlis with a uniform motion. 

After showing the mi'gis the initiators return to the miti'gwakik' 
and sing together. The ne'mita'maiin' holds the stick and plays 
the drum first, the others shaking their rattles. Then he liands the 
stick to another of the group, and so on until all have played the 
drum. Four cici'gwan (rattles) are used in this portion of the cere- 
mony, no two having exactly the same tone. (See pis. 1,2.) 

The miti'gwakik' is then removed to a position between the stone 
and the eastern entrance (see fig. 4) ; the leader takes his place at 
one side of it and the oc'kabe'wis at the other, the leader pounding 
the drum and the oc'kabe'wis shaking a rattle. Wlien they begin to 
sing the members of the Mide'wiwin sitting on the south side of the 
lodge spring to their feet, advance toward those on the north side, 
and "shoot" them with their medicine bags. The latter fall insensi- 
ble, but in a short time recover consciousness and advance toward 
those now seated on the south side, "shooting" at them with their 
medicine bags. These in turn fall insensible, and the ''shooting" is 
continued until all present have been "shot" with the medicine. 
This ceremony of initiation usually lasts until late in the afternoon. 

Meantime food is being cooked outside the lodge and when the 
''shooting" is finished this feast is served and anyone who likes may 
freely enter the lodge. This is the social feature of the event. Only 
members of the Mide'wiwin are present at the initiation, but all 
the members of the tribe may share in the feast and the dance 
which follow. The nature of this feast is not prescribed. The dog 
was a feature of the ceremonial feast which took place in the early 
part of the ceremony. Food for this feast is provided by various 
members of the tribe and a portion is usually carried home by each 
person. According to custom, the old men are served first. 

The following song is sung when the food and tobacco are brought 
in and placed before the leading members of the Mide'wiwin: 



de.vsmorb] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



49 



No. 14. First Song of the Feast (Catalogue no. 65) 

Sung by Ki'tcimak'wa ('' big beak ") 



Voice ^ = 69 

( Recorded without drum) 






+ 



g^^ 



ES 



-^— ^— ^1 



ii: 



2i: 



-g -^_^_ 



^ 



Ni-kan-ug e e nin-da - ca-uii-£rog 



e ni-kaii 



^^I.^ 


— ^ — ^-i-*^ 


It 


— ^ — 


3 

^ ^ ^ ft • 

1 — r — ^^- ^ 


|SZ (2 

M^1 — \ — r~r~ 

^g^ — ^ — ^— ^ 


-2 




ha ni ni-kan-fig i hi nin-da - ca-mi-gog 




e nin-da- ca-mi-gog e he ni-kan-Gg i hi na 




Nikan'ug My Mide' brethren 

Nin^daca'migog^ Have given me this feast 

Analysis. — This is a particularly free melody, begin- 
ning on the second, ending on the fifth of the key, and 
having very little feeling for the fundamental chords of 
the key. The intonation usually falls on the second of 
two similar tones. The rhythm of the song is peculiar, 
the first five measures constituting a rhythmic unit. 
The repetition of this unit is regular throughout the 
song. A rhythmic unit regularly repeated suggests that 
a rhythmic idea or impulse may be the nucleus of the 
musical composition. It is of interest therefore to 
note the occurrence of the rhythmic unit in tliis series of songs 

After the feast is served the following song is sung: 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 1 



Song picture 
N o . 14. A 
hand is showTi 
bestowing the 
feast, which 
the singer 
stretches u p 
his own hand 
to receive. 



50 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 15. Second Song of the Feast (Catalogue no. 66) 

Sung by Ki'tcimak^wa 



Voice J — 76 
Recorded without drum 



=y^^- 


P^M_f=-^ 


-•-. 


• ^ ^ 


-^-M 



Ca - we - ni - mi - wa - ad ni - kan - fig e he he ca 



m^s^: 



f — I* f ==T- 



:t: 



4=v- 



i^r=^=EEEE^ 



we - ui - mi - wa - ad ui 



kan - tig e he he he ca 




)-ni-rai-wa -ad ni-kan-tig e he he ca - we-ni-mi -wa -ad ni- 



S^^^ 



:^?^=i=^^=*t 



^—^ 



:]=^=^ 



kau-tig e /ie he ca - we-ni-mi -wa - ad ni-kau-tig e he he 



, WORDS 

Cawe'nimiwad^ I have received great kindness 

Nikan'ug From my Mide^ brethren 

Analysis. — The phonograph record shows an interesting feature 
of this song which it is impossil)le to transcribe. On the second and 
third coinits of each meastu'e tlie tone is sounded 
shghtly before the proper time, giving a pecuhar 
effect of rhythmic irregularity. This may be due 
to the fact that no driun was used and that the 
drum is usually struck shghtly before the metro- 
nome time. The voice may have unconsciously 
imitated the drum in this respect. 

The joyful character of this melody presents a 
contrast to the serious ceremonial songs which pre- 
cede it. The tones are those of the fourth five- 
toned scale and the song is distinctly melodic in 
character. 

After the feast is finished the men wdio have 
received gifts carry them to their own lodges w4th 
their portion of the feast; later they return to join in the dance, 
which is of an entirely social nature. At this dance a man may sing 




Song picture no. 15. 
The MIde'wInl'nl 
holds in his hand the 
blankets and other 
gifts which he has re- 
ceived from the per- 
son initiated. 



DENSMORK] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 51 

liis favorite ''medicine song" and any others who know the same 
song may rise and tlance. A great variety of Mide' songs are used 
at this final dance. 

When it is time for the company to disband, tlie four initiators 
stand together at the southeast corner of the Mkle'wigan, the ne'ml- 
ta'mauiV at the head of the hne. The music is very hvely and 
everyone is in the best possible humor. The initiators are the first 
to leave the lodge, dancing out at the western door, followed by the 
company and the newly initiated person, the leader being the last to 
leave the lodge. The person who has been initiated takes with him 
the medicine pole and the stone, which are his personal property; 
these he carries to his lodge and makes a feast in their honor. After 
the feast he takes both the pole and the stone to some secluded place 
in the woods known only to himself. There he often goes, keeping 
the place clear of rubbish and undergrowth. The stone remains there 
always, but the pole may be removed \)y its owner for use in future 
ceremonies. 

The person who has been initiated also retains as liis personal 
property any songs which he can remember from hearing them 
sung during the ceremony, it being considered that his gifts to the 
leaders are sufficient to entitle him to these without further payment. 

Each of the men who assisted at the initiation ceremony and 
received gifts is expected to make a feast after the ceremony and 
invite the newly initiated. At this feast he gives the newly initiated 
the mi'gis which he exhibited at the ceremony. Thus the initiated 
receives one mi'gis from each of the men who assisted at the cere- 
mony. These he keeps in his Mide' bag, adding from time to time 
such medicines as he has learned to use. 

Ceremony for a Dying Chief 

An opportunity for the writer's personal observation of this cere- 
mony occurred in July, 1907, at Leech Lake, Minnesota, during the 
last hours of Nigan'Ibmes' ("leading bird of prey"), the hereditary 
chief of the Pillager band of Chippewa. Nigan'Iblnes' was son of the 
famous chief Flat Mouth and was always known by his father's name, 
which is used therefore in this description of tlie ceremony. 

After the agency physicians in consultation had concluded that the 
old chief could live only a short time, he asked and was granted permis- 
sion that a MSfde' ceremony be held in the hope of prolonging his life, 
or at least of making liis last hours more comfortable. Accordingly 
preparations were begun and a man named Na'joi'se ("two persons 
walking ") was selected as oc'kabe'wls, or herald. It was decided also 
that the leader of the ceremony should be Ge'miwunac' ("biid that 
flies through the rain"), the oldest Mide'winl'nl on the reservation, 



52 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

almost totally blind, but supposed to be very powerful (see pi. 9). 
Invitations were sent to eight members of the Mide'wlwln. These 
invitations were in the form of round sticks, about 5 inches in length. 
Each member brought his invitation-stick with him, and prior to the 
ceremony the sticks were tied in a bundle and laid on the ground at 
the foot of the medicine pole. 

For several days before the ceremony the Mide'winl'nl sang with 
the ISIide' drum in Fhit Mouth's wigwam. The singing was also con- 
tinued at intervals throughout the entire night. The ceremony took 
place on the afternoon of July 24, 1907. Early on the morning 
of that day a Mide' lodge was made and Flat Mouth was taken 
from his wigwam, carried thither, and laid upon a bed of boughs 
shaded by small birch trees stuck into the ground. The inclosed space 
was about 60 feet long and 20 feet wide, with rounded corners. At 
the openings, at the east and west ends, blankets were hung between 
tall poles. The inclosure was formed of pine branches stuck into the 
ground and woven together, forming a barrier about 3 feet in height. 
Flat Mouth was laid in the place of honor at the south side of the 
eastern entrance. A medicine pole was erected in the center of the 
lodge about 20 feet from the eastern entrance, and between this pole 
and the entrance were located a fire, and a kettle in which a dog 
was cooked. 

The ceremony was given according to the fourth degree, which 
was the degree held by Flat Mouth. The decoration of the pole cor- 
responded to this degree. 

In the morning six members of the medicine party entered the 
lodge, one of whom sang; he was evidently in charge of this part of 
the ceremony. The songs were unaccompanied, the rattle being 
used by him while marching and while "treating" Flat Mouth. The 
rattle was similar to that shown in plates 1 and 2. 

After each song the leader led a procession around the lodge, shak- 
ing his rattle and ejaculating Wa hi hi hi hi', Wa hi hi hi hi'. Behind 
him came a woman with food in a pan, then a man with a rattle, then 
a woman, then a man and a woman, each with food in a pan. After 
circling the lodge several times the party stopped at the eastern 
entrance and the leader made a speech, to which the others frequently 
answered ho'. Then the leader walked before Flat Mouth, shaking 
his rattle at arms, limbs, and body with ejaculations of ho ho ho'. 

This continued during the morning. 

In the afternoon Flat Mouth was laid upon a bed of boughs in the 
center of the lodge, west of the medicine pole. At this time the 
ceremony proper took place, under the direction of Ge'miwrlnac', 
while Na'joi'se continued to act as herald and another member of 
the party took charge of the cooking of the dog. 



DEXSMOEE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 53 

The members of the medicine party were in the center of the 
lodge, the rekxtives and friends of Fhit Moutli being seated along the 
sides of the inclosure. At the opening of the ceremony Flat Mouth 
was carried several times around the inclosure on his green blanket 
and laid gently upon the bed of boughs. 

Then a man from Pine Point said he wished to brew a medicine 
of his own for Flat Mouth. He told of the virtue of this medi- 
cine and said that it might not cure Flat Mouth but he believed 
that it would make him more comfortable. He said that the secret 
of this medicine was given him in a dream as a boy; that the prin- 
cipal ingredient was part of a large animal which he saw in his dream, 
and that he always carried this ingredient in his medicine bag. 

The consent of Flat ^louth being secured, the man proceeded to 
brew the medicine. As he did this, he gave the ya a hV, a hi, a hi, hi 
hi hi hi, so frequently heard in the Mde'. He was joined by another 
voice, beginning about a fourth higher and sliding down to a unison. 

When the brewing of the medicine was completed Xa'joi'se took 
the steaming cup and carried it five times around the old chief; then 
he gave the cup to Flat Mouth, who drank the medicine. 

This was followed by a ''prayer to the medicine pole," interrupted 
by frequent ejaculations of he he he. 

Then the feast was served. This consisted of the cooked dog, 
with the broth. It was required that all of this be eaten in the 
lodge. There were also bread and wild rice, portions of which were 
carried away by the guests at the close of the ceremony. 

Each member of the medicine party carried a medicine bag, cor- 
responding to his degree in the Mide'wiwin. The members now stood 
in a circle around the chief and each in turn sang a song, after which 
they marched once around the inclosure. The first few songs were 
without accompaniment, while the others were accompanied softly 
by the ]\Iide' drum. There was a marked individuality in the songs, 
suggesting that each person may have been singing his special medicine 
song. Xext the members of the party, each chewing his own medi- 
cine, marched around the dying chief, and spit into a box of sawdust 
at his feet. A man then stirred this mixture, which was rubbed on 
the soles of Flat Mouth's feet. Each member also laid a pinch of it 
on his body. 

Following tills, each of the medicine party sang a song and marched 
around the cliief, ''shooting" his medicine bag at him. 

Then all marched around the chief, carrying ^lide' shells in their 
left hands. Each person laid one shell on the chief's body in pass- 
ing, and after circling his body took up the shell again. These shells 
were similar to the mi'gis mentioned on page 48. 

By this time the old chief was faihng so rapidly that it was deemed 
advisable to carry him into his wigwam. This was done, the men 



54 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

bearing him gently on his green blanket. Then they sang in his 
lodge. Instead of the Mide' drum they used the sharp, thin, doctor's 
drum and two rattles. The songs were different from those previously 
used, and of a melancholy cadence, the interval of the sixth being 
flatted. 

Two hours later Flat Mouth died, his death being announced by 
twenty rifle shots. This is the custom of the tribe, a few shots 
announcing the death of a child and a larger number that of an 
adult. As is customary with the tribe, the body was immediately 
arrayed in the best apparel and ornaments of the deceased; beside it 
were laid his pipe, fan, and rifle, also a cushion with a woven cover. 
In the early evening the ceremony was concluded briefly, as few had 
the heart to dance. Flat Mouth's widow sat next the eastern en- 
trance, where he had lain that morning, and the dancers "shot" 
their medicine bags at her as they passed. The chief's sister held 
a Mide' shell in her hand and frequently extended it toward Flat 
Mouth's widow, who breathed on it, whereupon the sister danced again 
around the drum. 

The Mide' drum used on this occasion was decorated in black, 
with a border at the base consisting of a broad band and four deep 
points. This was said to represent the pointed top of the Mide' 
inclosure. Above this was the recumbent figure of an animal similar 
to that shown in the drawing of song no. 94 (catalogue no. 1). The 
top of this drum was of tanned deerskin, held tightly in place by a 
hoop wound with cloth. The singers stood and held the drum by 
the corners of the leather which formed the top. Occasionall}^ the 
widow of Flat Moiith rose and, taking hold of a corner of the leather, 
stood silently and sadly beside the singers a few moments. There 
were usually four singers at the drum, one after anotlier acting as 
leader; each pounded on the drum. One or two rattles were also 
used. 

At the close of the dance the medicine party went to their respec- 
tive lodges, each carrying a bundle of small gifts. All that night the 
sound of the Mide' drum and the monotonous singing were heard. 

The next morning the Mlde'wlnl'nl conducted what corresponded 
to a funeral ceremony. The lodge was tightly closed, but the voices 
could be plainly heard. The leaders were rehearsing the beliefs of 
the Mide' and assuring the family of Flat Mouth of their reality. 
Then they addressed the spirit of the dead chief, as it is believed that 
the spirit lingers near the body until burial. One after another they 
sat beside him, telling him to he careful to avoid certain turns in the 
road to the Spirit Land, or to trust certain spirits who would meet 
and assist him. They spoke with extreme rapidity, punctuating the 
words with occasional sharp beats on the drum. 




DE'BWAWEN'DUNK 



DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 55 

At the conclusion of this ceremony the writer was permitted to pho- 
tograph the (k^acl chief. (See pL 7.) On entering the lodge, the medi- 
cine party were found eating the funeral feast, which consisted of fruit, 
cakes, bread, and rice. The body of Flat Mouth was concealed by a 
curtain of white cloth. When the feast was concluded several photo- 
graphs of the dead chief were taken, the upper coverings of the wig- 
wam being removed to admit the light. Immediately afterward 
the body was lifted on its green blanket and laid in the casket, 
which was the best that could be purchased at the neighboring town. 
Beside it, in the casket, were placed the fan, pipe, war bonnet, 
and cushion. The fan consisted of an eagle wing decorated with 
dots of red in a design which belonged especially to Flat Mouth, 
being used by him alone. The cover of the cushion was a bag woven 
of yarns. This weaving of a bag without a seam is becoming a lost 
art among the Minnesota Chippewa. 

A long procession followed the body of Flat Mouth to the "heathen 
cemetery," a village of low wooden shelters above the graves. There 
was no ceremony of any kind when the casket was lowered. The grave 
was dug very large and almost circular in shape. Visiting the spot a 
few months later, the writer found that a pointed wooden house had 
been erected over the grave, according to the custom of the Chippewa. 
The name Nigan'Iblnes' was painted on a narrow board placed on the 
peak of the roof, and beside the grave floated an American flag. 

Songs for Initiation into the Sixth Degree 

Sling by De''bwawen'dunk 

The songs of an initiation ceremony differ with the degree which 
the person assumes, each degree having its special songs. The fol- 
lowing songs given by De'bwawen'dCink" (pi. 8) are those used when 
initiating a member into the sixth degree. 

Before singing the first song De'bwawen'dunk made a short speech 
in Chippewa, speaking to the four MIde' manido', explaining that he 
was not going about the city belittling their religion, and begging 
that they be not offended because circumstances made it impossible 
for him to smoke the customary pipe before singing. This speech 
was recorded by the phonograph. 

The singer stated that if these songs are to be sung in private or at 
a small gathering the men lay down their medicine bags, as they are 
to "sing to the bags." The man who is to sing the first song fills 
his pipe and smokes it; then he calls on the four Mkle' manido', who 
live in the four "layers" beneath the earth. One song is sung by 
each man. 

a An old man from the Bois Fort reservation, a most devout adherent of the MIde'. These songs were 
recorded at Washington, D. C, whither De'l)wawgn'dflnk had come with an interpreter on business 
connected with tribal affairs. 'I'he translations were given by his interpreter, Rev. Frank II. Pequette. 



56 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY rBrr,L. 45 

No. 16. First Song (Catalogue no. 122) 



Voice J — 144 



Drum 



144 



( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



@S 



E 



lEE 



EEE 



i^ 



m 



Dji-ca- wa - Ae - ni - ml - ^i - gog ho ho ho ho ho 



^i 



*=F 



^lii^^^^^Ei 



ni - hi - ka-hau e he he 



dji-ca - we-^e-ni-mi-M-gog ho ho 






j==^=^ 



^ 



p 



ho 



ni - hi -ka-han e he he 



e -na-we-Ae-bi-w1ig^i go 




ho ho ni-kan 



e he he 



e - na-ioe- he-ni - bi-wug e he 




wl—^-^ 



ni-kan e he he di-bi-sko-^o-ka-mi - ig 
— -0- -0- 



he he e he he 



^i 



-0 — • — •- 



'—. — r -Ti r- I — rrri-* — *- •-•-o-r*-^^~*~~ri n '^ — ^1 



ni - ^i - ka-han e he he 



ga-ca - we - ni- mi-wfi-lig e he he 



he 




Djicawa^nimigog I am blessed 

Nikan^iig My Mide^ brethren 

Di^bicoka^mlg By the four Mide^ spirits 

Ena^biwug^ WTio live in the four layers 

Ga'cawe^nimiwiig^ Of the earth 

Analysis. — This song abounds in the inter- 
pohited syhables which characterize the Mide' 
songs. The measure lengths are irregular and 
their succession appears erratic. However, two 
records of the song were made, an interval of 
about a week elapsing between the making of 
earth; from there they sing, them ; ou Comparison it is fouud that the rec- 

This is a sixth degree song i •ix-i- i jjIv 

and so the people who sing o^^s are identical m every respect, except that 
it live in the fourth layer in the lucasure marked X the second rendition 

under the eartli." i ,1 11 i 1 t t ^i 1 ± 

shows the syllables ho ho on the second count. 
This change is very slight, but as it is the only one which occurs, it is 



Song picture no. 10. The 
singer gave the following ex- 
planation of this drawing: 
"The circle is the earth. 
These three people live in 
the fourth layer under the 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



57 



worthy of mention. In this as in other Mlide' sono^s the ])ulse is not 
meclianicall}' regidar and the same variations are found in the second 
as in the first rendition. This variation usually consists in a ver}^ 
slight prolonging of the accented tones. This song and the succeed- 
ing song contain syncopations, which are extremely rare in the Chip- 
pewa songs. 

No. 17. Second Song (Catalogue no. 123) 



Voice 



72 



Drum J =126 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



Wen-djl - mo -ki - yan e 



e wen-dji - mo - ho - ho -lii - yan 



^^ 



r 



eE 



T=aF 



• • (S> 



F-M- K— F=ff= ^ r" 11 F 4 f 



e he he weii-dji- mo-ki-yau e he /ie wen- dji-mo - ho- ho - ki-yiin 



m^ 



l^^—\^ 



:F=f=EF 






e he he . wen -dji -mo -ki - yan e he he wen-dji -mo - ho 



m 



?Tt 



-m m m — ti 



^' 



:b 



SE 



ho - ki - yan e ua-wo-k(im-i-gan a ge he he w§n - dji 

WORDS 

Nawo^'kiimigan'' In the center of the earth 

Wen''djimo^kiyan^ Whence I come 

This and the remaining songs of the set were recorded a few days 
later than the first song. At this time tobacco had been provided, 
which the old chief smoked in silence. When he 
was ready, he seated himself before the phonograph 
and again made a speech, translated as follows: 

I am not doing this for the sake of curiosity, but I have 
smoked a pipe to the Mide' manido^ from whom these songs 
came, and I ask them not to be offended with me for singing 
these songs which belong to them. 

Analysis. — This song is of unusually small com- 
pass, and it is interesting to note the drop of a 
minor third to D with a return to the tonic F. 
This is rare in the Chippewa songs recorded, but has been noted in 
other primitive music. In this song the metric unit is the measure, 
the pulses of the parts of the measure being less uniform and regular. 
The song closely resembles a chant. 




Song picture no. 17. 
The "center of the 
earth" is plainly indi- 
cated in the drawing. 



58 



BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 18. Third Song 



Voice 



96 



(Catalogue no. 124) 



^ 



( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



■Ih- 



Nin - go - Ao - sa Aa ha nin-go - ho - sa niu - go - ho 



1 =i:_ . Li-zi: **»iSl 



-• — •- 



m^ 



r- 
sa ha ha nin-go- ^o - sa nin-go- ^o-sa uiu-go-sa nin-go- 

« — •- 



-y- 



^ 



=^:r= 



-• — •- 



-(S"- 



-•-^ — • — (S> 



i^— I 



ir- 



--^ 



=t=4: 



sa nin-go-Ao-sa nin-go-sa nin-go- sa nin-go-sa ni - gi 



:2^: 



wa - a-miii e - bid e ma - ni - do i ne uin-go-sa niu - go - sa 

WORDS 

Ningo^sa I am afraid of 

Nikan^ My Mide^ brother 

Nigiwam'in In my lodge 

E'bid Who dwells 

Analysis. — The chief musical interest of this song lies in the fact 
that the first word is variously accented. We find the musical accent 
falling on each of the three syllables. In all Mide' songs the words 
are subordinate to the music, a peculiarity which is well illustrated 
in this instance. The beginning of the song on the 
unaccented portion of the measure is somewhat 
unusual. 

The remaining songs of the series are given in out- 
line instead of full transcription. This shows the 
trend of the melody, l)ut does not indicate either the 
rhythm or note values. The metronome indication 
which precedes the songs has no reference to the sym- 
bol as written, its only purpose being to show the 
metric unit of the voice and of the drum, for the pur- 
pose of comparison. 

The beat of the drum is almost uniform through- 
out the series, being in unaccented strokes, two of which are equiva- 
lent to the metronome beat 126 or 132. Thus by metronome test there 
are approximately four pulses of the drum to one of the voice, but 
this correspondence is not evident to the ear. The relation between 
the two is not accurate, for the rhythm of the voice varies, while the 
drum does not vary, being entirely independent of the voice. 




Song picture no. 18. 
The MIde' lodge and 
the person to be ini- 
tiated are shown. 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



59 



The words of the songs are contiimall}^ broken and separated by 
the syllables hi lii Id, which occur even more I'requentl}' than in the 
initiation songs of the lower degrees. 

Only two of these songs are of minor tonalit3^ One of these, no. 19, 
is interesting in that the singer began the last half slightly too high, 
thus changing the key from C minor to C sharp minor. The relations 
of the tones in the last half are well sustained. 

In this series we find three songs containing the tones of the major 
triad with the sixth added, two instances of the octave complete 
except the seventh, one instance of the octave complete except the 
second and seventh, one instance of the octave complete except the 
fourth and seventh, and two songs of minor tonality. 

Musically, the chief value of these songs lies in the relation of voice 
and drum and in the peculiar ending of the songs. Compare these 
songs in this respect with the melody outline of songs nos. 25-34. It 
will be readily seen that the latter have a much stronger feeling for a 
defmite close either on the tonic or with the tones of the tonic chord. 
An indefinite manner of closing a song may l)e considered character- 
istic of a ]>rimitive stage of musical culture. 



No. 19. Fourth Song 

Voice without perceptible metric unit 



(Catalogue no. 125) 



Drum J 



— 126 



§^ 



m 



ppiis^* 



\3^m 



1 



WORDS 

Awe^nen Who is this 

De^wene' Sick unto death 

BemaMjiug' Whom 1 restore to life 

The words of this song refer to the person who is being- 
initiated. Many sick persons are initiated in order 
that they may be restored to health. The Mide' com- 
prehends health of body, mind and spirit in one general 
idea. It is supposed to benefit the individual as a whole 
and the lines of demarcation between his various needs 
are not sharply drawn. 




Song picture 
NO. 19. On 
the body of 
the person to 
be initiated 
lire seen lines 
represen t- 
i n g the 
"strength " 
lie is to re- 
ceive through 
the MIde'. 



60 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY Ibull. 45 

No. 20. Fifth Song (Catalogue no. 126) 



Voice ^ ~ 60 
Drum J— 132 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



mi 



:0 



Song picture no. 20. This is the only 
drawing of a pipe which occurs in 
connection with these songs. 



WORDS 

NiwiMubima^ I am sitting 

Nai'ud In the fourth lodge 

Opwa'giin With my pipe 



The meaning of the word transhited 'Modge " is not clearly defined. 
It refers to a progression in the Mtde', a similar idea occurring in 
songs. 

No. 21. Sixth Song 



(Catalogue no. 127) 



Voice ^ = 60 

Drum Jr=: 132 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



M 



^^^^^^^m 



Ni^jawen^imigog^ They have taken pity on me 

Gawa^bikweMjig The white-haired ones 

It is said to be the white-haired Mlde' spirits who enable 
the members of the Mlde'wiwln to attain long life. 

The chief purpose of the Mide' is the securing of 
health and long life to its adherents. Combined with 
the assurances of its power to confer these benefits are ^^^^ picture no. 
strict injunctions concerning rectitude, obedience to its undrifteliTyrS 
instructions, and temperance. These qualities doubt- resents one of the 
less united to produce the promised results. Mide'?pirii'''^ 




dexsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 22. Seventh Song 



61 

(Catalogue no. 128) 



Voice ^=60 

Drum J— 132 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 

_u_u m ^ • — a — • 



- ' . '-ir 



^m 



WORDS 

Wewe'ni Diligently 

Bizm'dau Listen thou 

Kaiya'gigido^djig To those who speak 




No. 23. Eighth Song 



Song PICTURE NO. 22. 
He who speaks and 
he who listens are 
shown. 

(Catalogue no. 129) 



Voice J _; 60 

Drum J= 132 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



m^^^^^^ 



m 




WORDS 

Ge'ga Almost 

Bizinda^gonan'' He \v\\\ listen to us 

Manido^ Manido' 

Song picture no. 
23. This outline 
is frequently 
used to repre- 
sent a manido'. . , . rT^^ • • l^ p 

(Compare draw- Analysis. — 1 his song comprises the compass oi an 
ings of songs nos. octave, extending from the dominant above to the 
dominant below the tonic. The melody is based on 
the tonic triad with the sixth added, and, as frequently occurs in 
these songs, the entrance of the tonic is delayed. More of the 
recorded Chippewa songs begin on the twelfth or fifth than on any 
other tone and the first interval of descent is frequently a minor 
third. This is repeated several times and is followed by the descent 
of a major third, which completes the major triad and introduces 
the tonic. 



62 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 24. Ninth Song 



(Catalogue no. 130) 



Voice ^=z60 

Drum J =132 

( Di'um-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



=91; 



1 




Song picture no. 24. 
The subject recurs to 
that of the first song in 
the series and the circle 
is again shown, with 
one of " tlie people wlio 
live in the fourth layer 
under the earth." 

corded, with the 
wen'diink of the 



Ca^cabondeckwa'gwan . . They are going through all the 

Manidog^ Rooms of the MMe'' lodge, it appears 

Bi'tawaka^mig The Mide^ spirits, who live 

A^bidjig^ In the four layers of the earth 

Ceremonial Songs 

Sung by Na'jobi'tun« 

The following twenty-six songs consist of four 
series, each having its own type of music and its 
distinct character of words. The first series may 
be sung at the close of a ceremony ; the others are 
connected with the initiation of members. The 
music is the most primitive which the writer re- 
possible exception of the songs given by De'bwa- 
Bois Fort reservation. 

SERIES 1 — ANALYSIS 



Musically, the songs in the first series are very similar, yet no 
two are exactly alike. The songs were sung firmly and without 
hesitation, showing that they were not improvised. Before singing 
a song Na'jobi'tun sometimes retired to the next room in order quietly 
to hum over the song and to be sure that he remembered it correctly. 
Many of the songs were sung several times, the renditions being 
identical, except occasionally in unimportant measures near the 
close. 

The words of the first series relate to the water-spirit — his dwell- 
ing, his action, and his manifestation as a male beaver. Mention is 
made of the mermen. It is believed that manido' in the form of 
both mermen and mermaids live in the water and at times appear' to 
the members of the Mide'wiwtn. 

Song no. 33 ftirnishes an interesting example of the difficulties 
encountered in securing translations of these songs. The first inter- 
preter said the last words meant "I will gather it in the place of 

a An old man living at Boy Lake, a portion of the Leech Lake reservation about 30 miles from the 
agenc.v, reached only by water. Na'jobi'tiln (" two men walking") was almost blind and was in every 
way the most isolated individual with whom the writer came in contact. He was a firm believer in the 
Mlde'wlwln and its power. 



DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 63 

a circle;" later, another interpreter gave as the meaninfj^^'a place 
where the water moved in a circle;" the place was finally iden- 
tified as a portion of Lake St. Clair where the water is said to form 
eddies or small circles. This suggests thai the song may have come 
from Walpole island, where many Canadian Chippewa make their 
home, or from some other group of Chippewa in that vicinity. In 
this case it is reasonable to assume that the "long rapids" referred 
to in no. 25 are the rapids at Sault Ste. IMarie. 

These songs are not fidly transcribed, only the outline of the 
melody being given. This takes no accoimt of rhythm or note 
values, l)ut shows the melodic trend of the song more clearh^ than 
a full transcription. The songs contain frequent interpolations of 
hi hi hi hi; the syllables of the words are repeated; and in many 
instances the songs resemble chants. 

The musical material of many of these songs consists of the major 
triad with the sixth added, yet the principal interval is the descending 
minor third. The descent of the minor third characterizes the most 
primitive music, and the five-toned scale characterizes music which 
may be termed semideveloped. The major triad with the sixth 
added is the five-toned scale lacking the second, and in songs nos. 28, 
30, and 33 of the present series we find this tone present as a passing 
tone, thus completing the tone material of the five-toned scale. 

In all these songs, except no. 20, the feeling of the tonic chord 
is very strong. The ending of no. 20, as written, suggests a transition 
to the relative minor, but as sung it gives us the impression that the 
song is suddenly left in midair. Yet the ending was conclusive, 
followed by the customar}^ ho ho ho ho. The accidentals in songs 
nos. 26 and 27 were firmly given, but seem intended as an ornamenta- 
tion rather than suggesting modulation. 

No. 25 (Catalogue no. 10) 



^. 



I 



WORDS 



Keno'djiwaniifi' At the loiiii; rapids 

Nimadwe'nadonii'so.. 



, ,1 am called to go in 

iciobm digean^ 

Nikan^ug My Mide^ brethren 




Song picture no. 25. 



64 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



^ 



No. 26 



(Catalogue no. 17) 



I 




Song picture no. 26. 



Kiga''winanan''domigog^ We may call upon you for 

assistance 

Kikan^ug We, your Mide^ brethren 

Miziwe'mide'wug Assembled from every- 
where 



No. 27 



(Catalogue no. 18) 





# 


-•- 


m 




# t7# 


\>0 


« 


m 


-^ Tl 





















^ii 



^^a 



Daya^wengumi' 

Daona^umi^ 

Daonun''gumi' 

Geundjima'mwekiyan . 



m-- 



[Free translation] 
When the waters are 
calm and the fog rises, 
I will now and then 
appear 



No. 28 




Song picture no. 27. The 
circle represents the sky, 
which is overcast with 
drops of moisture; emerg- 
ing from this is the face of 
the manido'. (Compare 
drawing of song no. 97.) 

(Catalogue no. 19) 



^^m 




Song picture no. 28. The 
MIde' lodge and the jjct- 
son being initiated are 
shown. 



WORDS 

Kigacob'unde' You will pass through 

Endad' The dwelling of 

Manido' The water spirit 

Nikan' My Mide' brethren 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



No. 29 



65 

(Catalogue no. 20) 



^m\ 



Babidiwe'wt'djiwiin' The sound of flowing waten 

Enda^yan ( 'omes toward my home 

When this is sung the members of the MJde'- 
wlwhi rise and dance during the remainder of 
the series of songs, the change being indicated 
by a Hue across the stri}) of birch bark, between 
the song pictures. 




No. 30 



Song picture no. 29. A 
pointed tipi represents 
the honi« of the Mlde'- 
wlnl'nl. It is interest- 
ing to note that the 
wavy lines indicating the 
pulsating sound reach 
the body or heart of the 
man, not his ears. 

(Catalogue no. 21) 




;0 



Song picture no. 30. 
Reference to song no. .34 
shows tliat the speaker is 
a beaver. This drawing 
represents hisappearance 
above the water; also one 
of the "men of the deep." 



Kayciiin'moki'yan .. When I ai:j^pear 
MamwekaMogowug'. The men of the deep 
Memegwa^siwilg' Will be cast up by seething waters 



No. 31 



(Catalogue no. 22 



m^ 



i 



WORDS 

Memweka^bogowtlg^.. They are being cast up by seething 

waters 
Wabimi'giswug^ The white Mide^ sheila 




12692°— Bull. 45—10- 



SoNG PICTURE NO. 31. 

On the crest of the 
waves appear the 
mi'gis, or white 
MIde' shells. 



66 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY. [bull. 45 

No. 32 (Cataloo;ue no. 23) 



^m^j ^E^^^^^^^i^^^^^^^^^^^^iE== ^ 




Dabima'mwekiwug'.. Now and then there will arise 
out of the waters 

Nikan'ug My Mide' brethren 

Nigigwuc;' The otters 



Song picture no. 32. The 
circle represents a lake 
from which two otters rise. 



No. 33 



(Catalogue no. 24) 



^m 



I 



WORDS 

Beba'manioyan' I am gathering 

Wananan'dawioyan^ . . That with which 

Wawiya'tamung' I will treat myself 

Geilndina^man In the Lake of Eddying 

Waters, I will obtain it 




^ 




Song picture no. 34. A 
beavor is seen rising 
from the water. 



Song picture no. 33. In his 
hand the man holds some 
substance gathered from the 
lake, which is believed to 
have medicinal properties. 

No. 34 (Catalogue no. 25) 

WORDS 

Keget' Verily 

Nimanidon' I am a spirit 

Muki'yan To be able to become visible 

Nabe^mikowiyan' -I that am a male beaver 

SERIES 2 ANALYSIS 

The second series consists of songs used at the 
initiation of members in the Mide'wlwhi. In songs 
nos. 35, 38, and 40 the initiators speak; in nos. 36, 
37, and 42 the person to be initiated speaks; and 
nos. 39 and 41 appear to be the words of a manido' 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



67 



represented by or existent in the leading man's medicine pouch. The 
mention of metal in nos. 37 and 42, as well as the mention of the high 
hill in no. 39, would indicate that the song had been used in a part 
of the country where minerals and mountains were familiar to the 
people. 

These songs show somewhat better musical material than those in 
the first series. Two of the songs are on the fourth five-toned scale, 
five contain the tones of the major triad with the added sixth, thus 
presenting the partially formed five-toned scale mentioned in the 
analysis of the first series, while no. 36 contains only the tones of 
the minor triad. 

Song no. 39 of tliis series is of more than usual interest and is tran- 
scribed in full. 

No. 35 (Catalogue no. 26) 



3^^ 



I 



W^ 



Kigawa'bamiig You shall now behold 

Mide^widjig They of the Mide' 



No. 36 

-• . c m. 



/^y^n-^VrnTTTTn^-T 

Song picture no. 3,5. This draw- 
ing shows the MIde'wIgan, the 
medicine pole, the stone, and the 
assembled members of the Mlde'- 
wiwln. The candidate for initia- 
tion sees and hears the ceremony 
mentally before entering the 
lodge. Note the eyes and the ear 
of the candidate. 

(Catalogue no. 27) 



*= • g=: •— -9 n 




WORDS 

Na Listen 

Migaye'nin I shall also be blessed 

MinawTn' And my life prolonged 

En'dayan^ Like 

MideVag Those of the Mide^ 

Endiwad^ Whom I now behold 

The candidate for initiation is assured of the bene- 
fits which he will derive from the Mide'. This assur- 
ance is often needed as the candidate regards the 
initiation as a difficult ordeal. He has a part which 
must be properly performed, in which he has been 
instructed by the initiators. 



Song picture no. 
3 ti. T h e t w o 
figures are ex- 
actly alike, the 
heart being 
shown and the 
straight lines 
indicating 
"strength ." 
Thus the candi- 
date assures him- 
self that he will 
receive all the 
benefits enjoyed 
by other mem- 
bers of the MI- 
de'wlwln. 



68 



BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 45 



SiftE 



No. 37 



(Catalogue no. 28) 







Song picture 
NO. 37. In this 
drawing both 
straight and 
wavy lines 
diverge from 
the figure. 
The wavy 
lines are said 
to indicate 
"the song" 
and the 
straight lines 
to indicate 
"strength." 



WORDS 

Mi'nawina' Is it that 

Ain'nweyan'' \\Tiich my voice resembles? 

Biwa'bikun Even metal 

Ain'wev&n' The sounding of my voice? 



No. 38 



(Catalogue no. 29) 



^m 



m^ 



^'- 



Anindi' Where is 

Abigwen' The dwelling 

Manido' Of the greatest spirit? 

Nikan' My Mide' brethren 

Wabunafi^ In the east 

Abigwen' Is the dwelling 

Manido' Of the greatest spirit 

Nikan^ My Mide' brethren 

Mioma' Here 

Abigwen' Is my dwelling 

Manido^wivan' I who am the greatest spirit 




Song picture no. 
38. It was stated 
that the horizon- 
tal figure and 
head represented 
the East man- 
ido' and that 
the upright fig- 
ure and head 
represented the 
South manido'. 



This record was played for Na'waji'bigo'kwe, a mem- 
ber of the Mide'wiwin, who drew the pictures for these 
series of songs ; she said tliat this is a new form of an old song, and 
that the younger men of to-day are arrogant enough to use it, but 
that the old and correct form of the song gives the last two words as 
follows : 

Cawamiii^ Toward the east 

Abigwen^ Is his dwelling 



densmore] 



Voice ^ . — 69 
Recorded without drum 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 39 



69 

(Catalogue no. 30) 



§ii# 



g 



T= 



^ 



s: 



Wa-dji-wiu ge, en-da-uwe-wi - da - ma - au wa-dji-wlii-gre eu-da- 



_C\± • • an fSi!-: (S-: 1 1 f e, « « — « « « ^_: s>-^ 



nwe-wi-da - ma - au wa-dji-wifi gre eu-da-nwe-wi-da - ma - an 



=i=a: 



=§5 



• — f-»H 



-^ — a<- 



wa-dji-win ge eu-da-nwe-wi - da - ma - au wa-djl-wlu ge eu-da- 






I 



:^z=it 



:it:^ 



*-^— ^- 



:t=q 



- eJ . ' eJ 



uwcj-wi-da - ma - au wa-djl-win gre eu-da-nwe-wi-da- ma - au 




Wadjiwing' From beneath the high 

hill 

En^danwewidaman^ My voice echoes forth 

Song pictur e no . 39. 

Dancing begins with this song and continues durino- in this drawing the 
the remainder of the series. "[,, ^ '"''P'"*^^™*^ ^ 



No. 40 



(Catalogue no. 31) 



assg 



H- 




Song picture no. 40. In this 
drawing the circle represents 
the earth; note the interrup- 
tion of the circle at the lower 



WORDS 

Anawi'na -i I will cause it to ap- 

Nimo'kiwina' j pear 

Tibickoka'mig That which is beneath 

the earth 

Ebigwen^ 1,,, , t, • 

K -/ Although I bring it up 

Anawi^na \ . *? -^ ^ 

Nlmo^kinina' " '" 



70 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 45 

No. 41 (Catalogue no. 32) 



^■ ^''^^^W i 




Song picture no. 41. In this 
drawing the circle represents 
the sky; note the interrup- 
tion at the upper edge. Men- 
tion of a bird occurs with spe- 
cial frequency in songs of the 
second, third, and fourth de- 
grees. 



Nipo^niyan^ I am about to alight 

ToTwa^bamiyau' That you may see me 

Tibic'koka^mig Upon the level 

ground 

Tciwa'bamiyau' That you may see me 

Nipo''niyau' I am about to alight 

Tciwa'bamiyau' That you may see me 



No. 42 



(Catalogue no. 33) 



I 



^SfeS 



6* 





WORDS 


Wabik^ 


The strength of metal 


Owibiyan^ .... 


Has entered into my 




arrow point 


Manido^ 


A spirit 


Ninda^nisa' 


I could kill 


Wabik^ 


The strength of iron 


Owibiyan' . . . . 


Has entered into my 




arrow point 




SERIES 3 — ANALYSIS 




Song picture no. 42. A bear 
and an otter are represented 
in this drawing. 



The words of the third series are characterized by very strong 
affirmation of the power and beauty of the Mide' rehgion. In this 
series the affirmative used is 7nan'dan, which is the customary word 
among the Canadian Chippewa, the affirmation used by the Minnesota 
Chippewa being Tcegetf, or gegef. This suggests a Canadian origin for 
the songs. 

The translation of no. 50 was the subject of much discussion by the 
interpreters and members of tlie Mide'wiwm, as the words contain 
the idea of a year and also the idea of indefmite continuity. It may 
be best explained as meaning that the power of the inspiration is 
indefinite, but that it is expected that members will reassemble 
at the end of a year for the purpose of strengthening and confirming 
their faith. 



I'Ll.NSilOKE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



Musically, this series presents interestino; material. The first two 
ongs are on the second five-toned scale. 

The tonality of no. 45 is of luuisual interest. 

Songs nos. 46 and 47 show the t)ctave complete except the seventh, 
while nos. 48, 49, and 50 show the incomplete five-toned scale men- 
tioned in the analysis of the first series. The |)rincipal interest 
('(Alters in tlie first thvoc sonjjs of the series. 



No. 43 

c 



(Catalnsue no. .34) 



=!:l2: 



WORDS 

Anawi^na Although 

Manido' lie is a spirit 

Nikan^iig j\Iy Mide' l)rethron 

Tcimaya^wTii fin' I will raise him up 




No. 44 



Song pictlire no. 43. The 
MIde'winl'nl holds in 
his hand an otter, repre- 
senting his MIde' bag. 

(Catalogue no. ,35) 



-»- # 



^i, 



^mi 




Song picture no. 44. 
In the renter of the 
MIde'wIgan are two 
poles, suggesting that 
two persons are to be 
initiated. Above the 
lodge is a star in the 
circle of the sky. 
(Compare drawings 
of songs nos. 2 and 
10.) 



Awinegi'rig 



Naawind 



[Free translation] 



. , / '"' Beautiful as a .star hanging in 

Agode > o » 

M.,.,,.r.,,'/ the sky is our Mide^ lodge 



The words of this song are idiomatic and a tran.s- 
lation was secured with difficulty. The song was 
recorded at Leech Lake, where two inter})reters 
worked on it. Later the phonograjih record was 
played for Na'waji'bigo'kwe, at White Earth, She drew the song 
picture and this translation was finally decided on as giving the 
essential idea of the song;. 



V2 



m 



BUREAU OY AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll. 45 

No. 45 (Catalogue no. 36) 




Song picture no. 45. The 
man holds in his hand a 
mi'gls, or white Mide' 
shell, its power being in- 
dicated by the nianido' 
rising from it. 



^e^ 



WORDS 

[Free translation] 

Niwawa^gawia I have gained such spirit-power 

that I can tame it in my hand 

Man^dan It is true 

Gibinan' Even our white shell 

Niwawa'gawia' I can tame it in my hand 



No. 46 



(Catalogue no. 37) 



is^ 



_• — »_ 



m^ 



^H 



Gi'cig 

Wi^kanTna'. . . 
Manidowan'... 

Nin'a 

Wen^dabiyan'. 



[Free translation] 

The sky is clear where one 
brother in the Mide' is sitting 




Song picture no. 4ii. The 
several circles represent 
the several skies which 
are supposed to e.xist, one 
above another. In one of 
these the Mlde' brother is 
seen to be sitting, while 
beside him are the moon 
and the stars. 

If the flay is fair it is consitlered that the person to be initiated 
will be especially blessed; stormy weather is considered an unfavorable 
omen. The song does not express a desire or hope for fair weather 
but affirms it as a fact. Compare song no. 70. 

Dancing begins with this song and continues during the remainder 
of the series. 



DENSsMORE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 47 



73 

(Catalogue no. 38) 



^^1 



(Addressed to a sick person whose infirmity malces it impossible for him to walk) 

[Free translation] 

Ani'yankiin You will recover; you will walk again. 

^1'^ ^'^ It is I who say it; my power is great 

Man^da n > Through our white shell I will enable 

Bimose'hinan' ^^^^^ ^^ ^^.^Ij, ^„^-^^^ 

Gibinan^ J 




No. 48 



Song picture no. 47. 
The lines on the 
man's limbs indi- 
c-ate the"strength" 
which he is to re- 
ceive through the 
MIde', enal>ling 
him to walk. (Com- 
pare drawing of 
song no. 19, in 
which the straight 
lines are on the 
body, the desired 
strength here lie- 
ing of a more gen- 
eral nature.) 

(Catalogue no. 39) 



m 




WORDS 

Gego^ .... I Do not speak ill of the Mide^ 

Inota waken' ) 

Nikan' My Mide' brethren 

- ,''' I [Be sure to heed my words 

Inota'niscin 

SONGPICTUEENO.48. ' ,, i /i , 

In this as in no. 49 Nikan' My Mide' brethren 

wavy lines are used 
to represent speech . 

Analysis. — The descending minor third is the principal interval in 
this song. The tonality is major and the melody follows the tones 
of the major triad, the sixth being added in the latter portion of the 
song. In common musical terms the song would be said to be in 
the key of F, yet the tonic does not appear until the middle of the 
song. Comparison will show this to be a marked pecuharity of 
Chippewa songs. The progression F-D-F does not occur frequently 
in the songs analyzed. 



74 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 49 (Catalogue no. 40) 



S^il 



I 



^^± 




Gego' 1 

* . - , , ^ Do not speak ill of the Mide^ 

Inota waken' J '■ 

Nikan' My Alide' brethren 

Ningotcl' Wherever you may be 

Ikwe'wail Do not speak ill of a woman 

Nikan' My Mide' brethren 



(Catalogue no. 41) 



I 



Song picture/no. 49. 

No. 50 
— = • — • — • — •— • 

WORDS 

Tci^giglwa'basogwen' . . . We may live by it always 

Nikan^ My Mide' brethren 

Manido'wan It is spiritual 

Nin'esewin' The inspiration we receive 

SERIES 4 — ANALYSIS 



The fourth series is composed of sono:s which 
are sung after a man has been initiated and has ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ,„ j„ ^^ 
been given a medicine bag corresponding to hand the Mide'wim'ni holds 

xi 1 1 1 i 1 a Mide' shell. 

the degree lie has taJ^en. 

Song no. 54 contains a reference to the water spirit. 

De'bwawen'dunk stated that song no. 58 refers to a yellow bear, 
whose shaggy fur resembles feathers. As already stated, the bear is 
closely connected with the Mide' 

No. 59 refers to the fact that the white shells used in initiating 
members into the Mide'wlwln are supposed to penetrate the skin, 
and it is the duty of the initiators, having ''shot" these shells, to 
remove them. The work of these shells is a cleansing work, and if 
any of them remain in the body it is supposed that the cleansing is 
incomplete and the person suffers correspondingly. These shells 
issue from the mouth of the person being initiated. 




DEXSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 75 

In the instance of this song one of the shells was difficult to remove 
antl was found to be in the heart of the person under initiation. As 
an example of this, a woman stated to the writer that her arm had 
been lame ever since she was initiated into the Mlde'whvln. She 
said that her husband asked her if she was sure that the initiators 
removed all the shell or ''medicine" and stated that if any remained 
it might produce this lameness, which had continued about thirty 
years. 

The words of no. GO refer, of course, to a manido'. 

These songs are in a difTerent style from the three preceding series, 
yet it is impossible to indicate this in the melody outline, the pro- 
gressions being about the same. Most of the songs in this series are 
chanted in a very dignified and impressive manner, producing a pecu- 
liar effect, quite difTerent from that produced by the same tone 
material in the form of the more rhythmic songs. 

No. 51 presents the minor triad with minor seventh added. This 
combination of tones is fully considered elsewhere in this paper (see 
p. 130). 

No. 52 contains the major triad with the second added, a somewhat 
unusual feature. 

Nos.53 and 54, one in the major and the other in the minor, show 
the octave complete except the seventh. 

No. 55 is on the fourth five-toned scale, and nos. 56 and 57 are on 
the second five-toned scale, lacking one tone. 

No. 58 is an interesting study of tonality. The ending was given 
firmly and the melody is particularly effective. 

Nos. 59 and 60 consist of the tones of the fourth five-toned scale 
with the second lowered, the first song being minor and the second 
major in tonality. 

No. 51 (ratalo{?ue no. 42) 



l^^^j== E^EE^^E^^^^E^ ^':=,^=.=^^ ^ 




WORDS 

Umbe'' Corae 

Nagumoda^ Jyet us sing 

Umbe^sano^ecigabo^ida Come, we are now song picture no. 51. In this 

standing before drawing are shown the Mlde'- 

you bendino-down wigan, the pole, the stone, the 

' '^ oc'kabe'wi.s at the entrance, 



the leader of the ceremony, and 



Nikan' My Mide'' brethren 

Kibima'diziwm'dotaman^ We ask long life for the candidate for initiation. As 

you this series of songs is used for 

Misaniu'ingegigabo^iyan^ That is what I my- initiation into the second or 

, i- f third degrees, the leader has an 

self am seeking tor assistant who is seated between 

you him and the novitiate. 



76 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 52 (Catalogue no. 43) 



;B 



m-- 




Long picture no. 52. The 
man holds his weasel- 
skin medicine bag. 



WORDS 

E wina' Here it is 

liawina^ Here it is 

A^cigosi^wayan^ The weasel skin (medi- 
cine bag) 

Geda'bimiin^ Through it I shoot the 

white shells 



No. 53 



(Catalogue no. 44) 



^iisfes 



m. 



WORDS 

Ni^bawiyan^ Here I stand 

Na Behold 

Boske^asin'' A stone is filled 

Ma^nidowid^ With spirit power 

Nibanin' With it I shoot 



No. 54 




Song picture no. 53. A 
stoae is at the point of 
the man's arrow. 

(Catalogue no. 45) 



SiSS 



1^"- 



^ 




Song picture no. 54. The mi'gls 
is shown in the circle of the sea. 



WORDS 

Nawigitci^gami^we. ... In the middle of the sea 

Genodog''gitcigami' The lengthy room of the 

sea 
Andana'biyan^ There I am sitting 



No. 55 



(Catalogue no. 46) 



;0 



^i 



WORDS 

Waka^oseyan' Walking around 

Mide^watiguiV The Mide' pole 

Manine'aman^ Coming upon it stealthily 

Miyuwen'tciayasoseyan^. I make a noise as I fall, 

leaning 
Nigiinoseyan' When I lead them all 




Song PICTURE NO. 55. Compare 
song drawings nos. 2 and 10. 



DEN SM orb;] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



77 



In this song the singer represents himself to be a bear, walking 
around the Mide' pole and trying to strike it. (Compare fig. 6, p. 

42.) 

No. 56 (Catalogue no. 47) 



m 



^0 



WORDS 

Ninbeba^miseyai/ I that hasten around 

Nabosedini'niwejiud' I shoot at a man and he falls 

in a trance 

Nigagwe^dina^ Then I feel with my hand 

Ninbeba^miseyan' To see if he is still alive 




No. 57 



Song picture kg. 56. 
A wavy line connects 
the bird and the sky- 
circle. The double 
line before this draw- 
ing divides the series 
into two parts, as 
\\ritlen on the birch- 
bark strip. The peo- 
ple dance during the 
succeeding songs. 

(Catalogue no. 48) 



^ 



^Ji^ 




WORDS 

Anima^kizine' Going with footwear on his feet 

This song is said to be about a bear's paw. 



Song picture no 57 



No. 58 



(Catalogue no. 49) 



©lit 



=='^=^='=^*='=j^^ -. — ''=^fl 



WORDS 

Wa^cine'biyan' I who live in a cave 

Kimico^misinan^ Our grandfather 

Onika^sa Arms he has 

Omi^wanun' With feathers 

WVshine^biyan^ I who live in a cave 




Song picture no. 58. 
The'Teathcredarms" 
are shown i n tlie 
drawing. 



78 



m^ 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 59 (Catalogue no. 50) 



=i;i 




WORDS 

Nikanfin' My Mide^ brother 

Na^donamawin^ Is searched 

OdeiiV In his heart is found 

Mi^konamawa^ That which I seek to remove 

Migisun' A white shell 



Song picture no. 59. The 
mi'gis is shown iu the heart 
of the Mide'. 



No. 60 



1^ 



-bb.- 



(Catalogue no. 51) 




Cingus^ Weasel 

Nan'domiyan' Thou art calling me 



Song picture no. 00. In 
his hand the man holds 
a weasel , representing his 
Mide' bag. 

There is a large number of songs which may be used during the 
initiation of a member of the Alide'wlnin. Each of the old men 
accustomed to lead the ceremony lias his favorite songs and brings 
with him the birch-bark rolls on which the songs are written. Before 
each ceremony these rolls are examined and the songs discussed by 
the initiators but the s^election is usually left to the leader. 

The three following songs are not parts of series but are detached 
songs belonging to the portion of the ceremony in which the candidate 
is ''shot." by the initiators. 



densmoue] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



79 



No. 61. Initiation Song (Catalogue no. 69) 

Sung by A^gwitu'wigi^cig i^"" skipping a day") 



Voice ^ = 96 
Recorded without drum 




1 



Gi - a - win nin - da - sa ya ha nin da gi - a - win nin - da • 



^: 




sa ya ha nin da gi - a -winiiin-da-sa ya ha 

-•- -• -»' -0- ^ 



^m 




sa ya ha nin da gi - a-wiii niu-da - sa ya ha nin da 



Gi'awnV Into thy body 

Nindasa^ I shoot 

Manidowid' The spirit 

This song is sung while the initiators march around the Mide' 
lodge, the man to be initiated being seated beside the medicine pole. 

Analysis. — A particularly pleasing melody is shown in this song. 
The principal tones are those of the major triad, the second and 
fourth being used as passing tones. With the exception of the last 
measure of each phrase the rhythm is a triple rhythm throughout 
the song. 

The following narrative concerning the Mide' shells was given to 
the writer by ]\Ir. Charles Moulton, a member of the Otter Tail band 
of Chippewa. Mr. Moulton stated that several years ago in the fall 
he shot two ducks. In one of them his wife found two small white 
shells of the variety used in the Mide', commonly known as IMlde' 
shells. His wife is a granddaughter of De'dadj, the leading Mlile'- 
wlnl'nlof the Otter Tail band, and from her childhood has heard the 
traditions of the Mide'whvln. She knew that these shells are rarely 
found in ducks and that to find two in the same duck was "very great 
medicine." Accordingly she showed the shells to De'dadj, who said, 
"Put the shells into a box, wrap the box tightly in a cloth, do not 
open it for a year, and at the end of that time you will find four 



80 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull, 45 



shells in the box mstead of two." She followed his instructions. 
The box was placed at the bottom of a trunk and not disturbed for 
a year. It was then opened and was found to contain two small 
shells in addition to the two originall}^ placed there. It was im- 
possible that De'dadj could have put them into the box, as he was 
almost blind at the time and furthermore did not know where it was 
hidden. 

Mr. Moulton stated that a member of the MIde'wIwIn would have 
kept these four shells very carefully, secured small particles of them 
by rubbing them on a piece of iron and placed these fragments in 
water as a medicinal drink for the sick. 



No. 62. Initiation Song 

Sung by A^gwitu'wigi'cig 



(Catalogue no. 70) 



Voice J = 76 
Recorded without drum 



f^Um=^: 



m 




m 



te 



Ni - nil -de - wa - yan 



ni - nil -de - wa - yan 



:t= 



ni - mi - de - wa - yan 




e ni-ml-de-wa-yau e ni-ml-de-wa-yan e ni-mi-de-wa-yau 
e ni - mi - de - wa - yan e ni - mi - de - wa - yan 




Ni^mide'wayan' My Mide' bag 

K During tliis song the person to be initiated is "shot" 
j^ l)y the initiators. 

Analysis. — The tonality of this song is obscure. It is 
transcribed exactly as sung, the different renditions being 

Song picture -^ ^' i i- i i • i 

NO. 62. In his identical, yet the key is not definitely established, neither 
hand the man modulations indicated with sufficient clearness to be 

holds the ani- 

mahvhichrep- safel}' assuiiied. The steadily descending progression 
Mide^ba ^'^ ^^*^^'® found is interesting and the melody itself is unusu- 
ally attractive. 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 63. Initiation Song 

Sung by Ma-ix^ans 



81 

(Catalogue no. 254) 



Voice J— 168 
Drum J- 176 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 3) 

-•- ^-_ ;•- -S>- 



'±± 



-f=f=t: 



JP_ 



Ba - do-gw6n e gi - bi - nan e ba - do-gwgn e gi-bi-nan 



i 



'^£i=E=L=Pfe 



-^ 1 — -i^^iS> a a m 






it-t=t 



ba - do-gwen e gi - bi -nan e 



©tt^ 



E^S 



:i 



:2 



ba - do-gweu e 



gi - bi - nan 



Al 






ba -do-gwen e gi - bi-nan 



hin 



de - mu-sa grwn 



;i - wi - ne - wa ba - do-gwen e gi - bi - nan e ba - do-gwen 



m 



s 



.fe=^ 



:=T^ 



1^ 



gi - bi - nan 



ba - do-gwen 



gi - bi - nan 




Badogwen' It never fails 

Gibinan^ The shell 

Demusa^ Goes toward them Song picture no. 

Gi^winewa'' And they fall 63. This draw- 

ing represents a 

This song is sung during the "sJiooting" of the can- ""'^'''• 
didate for initiation. The song is unusual in that the first descent 
of the voice is the interval of a fourth. The melody follows closely 
the minor chord, all other tones being readily identified as passing 
tones. 



No. 64. Initiation wSong 

Sung by Ki'tcimak^wa 



(Catalogue no. 67) 



Fair weather is symbolic of health and happiness. Thus the words 
of this song predict health and happiness for the person to be 
initiated. 

Analysis.~An unusual nunil)er of vowel syllables are used to fill out 
the measures of this song. Longer than most Mide' songs, its spe- 
cial musical interest is the manner in which quadruple measures are 
introduced into a triple rhythm. 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 6 



82 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Voice J::=80 

Recorded without drum 
_^ ^. j^ -0. 









f—P 



ZfTZW 



:ztl;4: 



m 



We-go- uen i wi ne e e wa-ya- /le - he- he- da-mo - non ha ha 



ipqi^ 



-fS- 



7t=W- 



X-- 



-n — P- 



:[=: 



ha ha ha we-go- nen i we ne e he we - & - wi - hi - hi - da - mo 






lion ha ha 



^: 



^t 



sl^Kili=« 



^-^-f-^ 



4; 



ha ha ha we-go-neii i tee 



de 



ge=^ 



i^zzp: 



:t=t 



^ — ^ 



e 



e e wa-ya- 

-^_ ^- ^- -,- 



we - Tie - e - da - mo 



na }ia ha 



ha ha ha mau-da-gi - cig wi 



^11 



#-e- 



#— P- 



:p=t 



^t=r=r:^f^-^-=f=^=:# 



t: 



Tie ^e dji-wa-we - he - he - na-go - deg he he 



he he 



T= 



:t:= 



t 



he dji-we-nen - i - go -deg he he wa - ya - wi - /ii- en -da- mo 



\m- 



:p=t^: 



ip^itt 



^ — ^- 



-b._ih 



:pEzzp_ 



:^ 



non a he 



he 



he 



we - go- nen 



S^ 






gg^ 



4=e: 



:p=p: 



4: 






wa-ya -we - he - he - da, - mo - non ha ha ha ha ha ne 



Wegonne^ What is this 

Wayawindamonon^ I promise you? 

Mandagi^cig The skies shall be bright and clear 

for you 
Djiwawe^nagodeg^ This is what I promise you 

Songs to Insure Success 

^°ThewaxTtoe^repri During the dance which follows an initiation cere- 

sents the song mony it is ciistomary for the members of the Mide'- 

which, rising to the ^ ^ , • ,^ ' c ii • • i j- • T+ 

sky, will make it wiwin to smg the songs of then' special medicmes. It 
bright and clear, jg Said that a man whose hunting medicine is particu- 
Ssong no. ST^"^^ I'^^'l^ strong may rise and dance and sing his hunting- 




densmoue] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



83 



charm songs and that lie may b(^ jouiod ])y any otlior persons wliose 
special medicine pertains to the hunt and who know the same songs. 

The following set of five hunting songs were sung by Be'cigwi'- 
wiziins (''striped boy") and are of this character. They were sung 
by their possessor before starting on a hunting expedition. 

The first, second, and third songs assert the ability of the Mlde'- 
wlnl'nl to control the wild creatures of the woods; the fourth and 
fifth songs are concerned with the means which are ejnployed. 



No. 65. Hunting Sonci (a) 
Sung by Be^cigwAvizans 



(Catalogue no. 56) 



Voice J^ 152 

Recorded without drum 

^- -p- ^- ^ -^ -•- 



.t=t: 



-^2- 






t= 



3 



Me - gwfi-yak ka nin- don - dji 



bi 



ha 



^— • 



A_ 



me-gwtl-yak A:a nin-don-dji - bi - na gi - ga- gi - kwa- wi -ni - nan 



^— ^— ^ 



m 



2 









1 1^ 



:&TEa 



me-gwii-yak ka 


ain-don-dji-bi - na me- 


gwfi.-yak ka nin-don-dji - bi - 


C\ • 'n 




' j j 


*-!.. 17 /^ . * ^ 


m 


_,— ' 1 




^ b K 1 1 




1 1 1 


^9 [ 1 t ' 






na he na 


ya me-gwH-yak ka uin-don-dji - bi - na ha na 
A ^ ^ ^ • , , 


t^' h L J 


__ 


1 Q P m 


*-». fl ^^1 r —— 


1 '» ' 11 


-^ b k 


1 1 '*'-^ 


C' 17 


l'4- ^^ 1 1 


me- gwCi-yak 


ka nin -don - dji - bi - na gi - ga - gi - 

m m m ..^^ ^ ^ 






1 p 1 1 1 1 r i r r 1 


-^^jT— ^-^ ^ — ^ F — 


Lh ^_i ^ U P -^ ^ 


-^^-^f74 1 b , t \- 


H ' ] 



kwa 



me-gwH-yak ka nin-don - dji - bi - 



i^^EE 



A-^ 



£ 



:t==^: 



i 



me-gwfi-yak ka nin -don -dji - bi - na he na ya 




MegwCiyak^ Out of the woods 

Nindon^djibi^na We will bring 

Gigagikwa^'wininaii' Even as we are telling you 

Song picture no. 

Analysis. — Attention is called to the varied measure *"'5- The animal is 
lengths and rapid metric unit in this song. It is also the"hunter°^''''"'^ 



84 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



interesting to note that the F flat and succeeding F natural ^vere 
accurately given. 

No. 66. Hunting Song (h) (Catalogue no. 57) 

Sung by Be'cigwi^wizans 
Voice J— 176 
Recorded without drum 



m M^^m^^Es^mws 



f^-0 — ig — I'^"TZ*~~^| 



EEEEEEEES 



Sg?^f 



E3E3: 



:^M 



t=t 



^^-f- 



-f^ 



#=P= 



^ 



::2z- 



^— ^^- 




Ninba^gaako^kwan . My war club 

Gi^cigun Resounds through the sky 

Dee^dagwe^wesif/. . To summon the animals to my 
call 

Analysis. — The words of this song were too indis- 
tinct for transcription. This is an instance in 
which the entire song constitutes a rhythmic unit. 
Each tone in the first measiu'e was given with equal 
Song picture no. 06. accciit, the tempo throughout being unusually well 
Above the singer are marked. The major third is the largest interval 

seen his war dub and .... 

the resounding sky. OCCUmng in tlus SOllg. 



No. 67. Hunting wSong (c) 

Sung by Be'cigwi'wizans 



(Catalogue no. 58) 



Voice 



176 



m 



Recorded without drum 



-^^-^ 



f==E 



3=^: 



fe==P===1 



_^ 





Um-be sa ta - di-da ci 


- ci - gwe 


ta 


-di - 


da 


we 


gin- 


-C^'t? 


P r f* m 1 


1 V 


1 


1 1 


II 


^J^'ft 


1^ 1 r • • • 1 


LZ . .. > 




1 fS ^ . 






w 


-^ ^ i \ — \ 1 — \ — [i-A—T r — r — 1 


U-r 


— p— 


— 1 — 




1 ^'— ■■! 


■^■— U_J h- 


— 




L_^_ 


— t- 





ta - gi - ma - ni - do 



wa a hi 



ha na 



Umbe' Gome 

Sa Behold 

Ata^dida^ Let us have a contest 

Cici^we O rattlesnake 

Gina^tagimanido' . . Most subtle of reptilea 
Cici'gwe O rattlesnake 




Song pictitre no. 67 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



85 



This son^ is addressed to the rattlesnake as beinp; the most dreaded 
and subtle of reptiles, which always succeeds in whatever it under- 
takes. The idea of the song is that the Mkle' has enabled the man 
to compete successfully with even the wiliest of creatures. 

Analysis. — The rhythm of this song is as subtle as the subject. 

Attention is directed to the melodic and rhythmic effect in the fifth 

and sixth measures. The minor third is the largest interval occurring 

in the song. 

No. 68. Hunting wSoNG (d) (Catalogue no. 59) 

Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 

Voice J =192 

Becorded without drum 

^-^ ^ - - - - - ^ 




dja-kdm-ig 



ki-yan a-ya - dja-kdm-Ig 



^^^ 



m 



^ 



e=?: 



See 



ki - yaii 



^E3 



hi jail- we-ci-wa-yan a i jau- 



^^^-^ 



S 



?S 



^-^-H 



we - ci-\va-y2,u a i jau 



we - ci - wa-yau a i e 




Aya'djawakum^ig From all parts of the earth 

Mokiyan' I make my appearance 

Janwe^ciwayan^ Clothed with the skin of the 

marten 

The singer stated that the words of this song 
refer to a Mide' bag made of the skin of a marten, 
which "has power to drive together the animals 
from all parts of the earth," It will.be remem- 
bered that the manido' mentioned in the account 
of the origin of the Mide' (p. 23) carried hving 
otters in their hands. Song no. 13 (p. 47) speaks 
of a sound as coming from the Mide' bag, and song 
no. 60 (p. 78) contains the words, ''Weasel, thou art calling me," the 
song referring to the Mide' bag carried by a member of the first 
degree in the Mide'wTwm. In song no. 81 (p. 105'; a medicine bag 
made of the skin of an owl is represented as speaking. A comparison 
of these songs is of interest. 

Analysis. — This is one of the few songs in wliich the first })rogres- 
sion is an upward progression. Rhythm constitutes an important 
feature of these hunting songs, yet the rhythm of each is distinct 
and peculiar. 



Song picture no. OS. "All 
parts of the earth" are rep- 
resented by two circles, 
between which is seen the 
form of the marten. 



86 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 69. Hunting Song (e) (Catalogue no. 60) 

Sung by Be^cigwi^wizans 

Voice J = 168 
Recorded without drum 



=i^ 



& 



§=t=p 



=F=F 



-^=w- 



-^ — f- 



A-nun-guu roe he na a ni gwe he 



a -nun-gun 



tH^^' 



F= 






-^ — ^ 



=^ 



^, 



-p— • — •- 



■S^U=^: 



i=E=^ 



loe he na a ni gwe he a-nun -gun 

_A- -A- -m- 
P P ^(2- 



Tue /ie 



=9itEeE^t^ 



3se3 



-i2_ 



:S^ 






:p=: 



:9i=^=t=t 



na a ni gwe he a - we - sin ha-na-ba - mig he na 



^^ 



:S^: 



:a=e 



^ 



a ni gwe he 



a-nun-gun we fie na a ni gwe he 




WORDS 

Anun^guil Like a star 

Nindina^bamig I shine 

Awesin' The animal, gazing, is fascinated 

by my light 
Song picture no. 69. The 

correspondence between The Writer wRs informed that the use of a ho;ht 
SdicTd^'Tst^iS^ht in hunting at night was known by the Indians 
line. before the coming of the white man. 

Analysis. — This song shows a distinct rhythmic unit of four 
measures. This unit occurs three times at the opening of the song, 
is followed by five measures in a different rhythm, after which the 
rhythmic unit is used in closing the song. Such regularity of musical 
form is seldom found in these songs." It is also unusual for rests to 
occur, even the repetitions usually being given with no appreciable 
pause. 

There appears to be no limit to the number of times a song is sung 
and the continued repetition has a rhythmic swing of its own. At a 
social dance the drum gives a signal indicating that the song will be 
sung only once more. This is understood by the dancers, but is 
scarcely noticed by an outsider. The time for this signal is deter- 
mined by the man at the drum, who started the song. 

a Songs recently secured show greater regularity. 



dexs.more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



87 



No. 70. SoxG FOR Securing a Good Supply of (Catalogue no. 64) 

Maple Sugar 



Sung by Ki'tcimak^wa 



Voice J — 72 
Recorded without drum 






^ ^ -^ -P- -PL -^. ^. 



P f^ m- 



m 



m—P- 



1^ 



Wi-dji-ga - wi-ni - na - ha hin-di-yan 

+ 



e wi-dji-ga- wi-ni- 



=§^i£l#=F=F 



^f=:b^b=L=L 



^^ei 



£^EHS 



^^ 



^ 



mi 



na - hahin-di-yau 



^m 



^^s& 



f=p~p^0 

e wi-djT-ga-wi-ni 



m 



e wi-dji-ga- wi-ni - na - ha hin-di - yan 
. + 



atiizit 






na - ha hui-di-yan 



6 wi-dji-ga- wi-ni 



It 



ii^ 



F=F= 



S 



sp: 



t 



na - ha hin-di-yan - e ml-ti-ga wi-ni - na - ha hin-di-yan- 



^i^^ 



SSSEf 



T=E 



ii^^^^iiip^^^ 



e gi-gi-gog wi-ni - na - ha hin-di-yan 



e wi-dji-ga- wi-ni- 



Eiaft^^^^^Et;i 



T^- 



im 



E^Sp 



a:2; 






na - ha hin-di-yau 



e wi-dji-ga- wi-ni 



na- ha hln-di-yan-e 




Widjiga^viwina'ha _ (Obsolete) 

HmMiyane' (Obsolete) 

Mitigon^ From the trees 

Gion^igog' The sap is freely flowing 

The makino: of mai)le siitjar constituted a pleasant 

industry amonor the Chippewa. From their scattered /JJV^ 

abodes they assembled at the sugar camp in the spring, song pictuhe no. 

The events of the winter were fully discussed, and gen- 'L fdJt 

1 ■-.■|. Til 11 tt- lilt: Stip IS 

eral sociability marked the gathering. Maple sugar is seeu flowing into 

a favorite luxury and is prepared in various attractive Ltft'L It 

forms. An abundant supply is greatly desired, and ^^^ shown in 

this song is supposed to secure it. ' '^' '''''''■'°^- 

The words furnish an example of the affirmation which strongly 
characterizes the Mide' songs. There is no request; the song simply 



88 - BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

asserts that the sap is flowing freely, thus presentino; to the mind a 
vivid picture of the conditions which would produce the desired 
supply of maple sugar. 

Analysis. — This song shows a characteristic tendency to lower 
slightly the pitch on the second of two similar tones. Throughout the 
song a double measure is followed by a triple measure. Each rhythm 
was given distinctly and for that reason it was not deemed advisable 
to combine two measures in one 5-4 measure. The principal words 
are mispronounced, as frecjuently occurs in the Chippewa songs. 

Love-charm Songs 
Sung by Na^waji'bigo'kwe 

The love charm is a very popular form of magic among the Chip- 
pewa. Of the following set of four love-charm songs no. 72 was first 
sung for the writer by a woman on the Red Lake reservation, the 
circumstances being as follows: The writer was engaged in the col- 
lection of folk-tales and persuaded this woman to tell a story. She 
consented with reluctance as it was the summer season and she said 
that snakes would certainly bite her at night if she told stories in the 
summer. After writing down a story the writer asked her to tell 
something about the Mide'wiwin and to sing one of its songs. This 
request was received with still greater reluctance. The woman 
finally consented to sing one song in some secluded place wdiere she 
was sure no one could hear her. When asked what the song would 
be she replied that it was a love-charm song. She was a woman 
about sixty years of age and was the most dirty and unattractive 
woman with whom the writer has come in contact. In a thin, nasal 
tone she sang the song, which was noted down by ear, no phonograph 
being available. With coy shyness she said the song meant that she 
was as beautiful as the roses. She also drew a crude picture of the 
song. Later this picture was shown to Na'waji'bigo'kwe at White 
Earth. She recognized the picture at once and sang the song into 
the phonograph. When the transcription of this record was com- 
pared with the memorandum made at Red Lake the identity of the 
song was readily discerned. The singer at Red Lake promised to 
come back and sing other songs the next day, but some friends who 
knew that she had sung a Mide' song threatened her with calamity 
and she did not return. The singer at White Earth said that this 
is the first of a set of four songs. All were recorded by Na'waji'- 
bigo'kwe, but the first is the most interesting of the set; only the 
words of the others therefore are given. 

Analysis. — One measure constitutes the rhythmic unit in this 
song, being repeated with absolute regularity. Attention is directed 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



89 



to the range of voice. The singer was a woman, but her voice was 
in tlie tenor register. This was found to be the case with the voices 
of otlier women who sang the Mide' songs, being due, perhaps, to 
the fact that they were accustomed to singing with the men and 
adopted a unison tone. 



No. 71 (a) 



Voice J — 88 
Recorded without drum 



(Oatalnsjue no. 73) 




A - ni - na 
« m m .. 


- ji 

-•- 


- a - ne 
• • 


a - ui 


- na 

1* * ' 


- Ji 


- a 


- ne 


t:\- k 1 1 K 1 1 








_ p 


-f-^ 




^ 


1 J 


^^^i 


V- 


— ii— 


— 1 


-^-^ ^"^^?^ 1 





a - ni - na 



ji - a - ne a - ni 



Ji - a 






a - 

-•- 


- ni 

-•- 


- ua 


- ji - 

-•- 


a - 

m 


ne 







- ni - 


ba - 

-0- 


uu 

-•- 


e 




=^^ 


1 


1 


1 


^, 














.L_ 




1 




..J 


1 


• 


1 


1 


--L.. ' \ ^ — ^ ^ 1 








• 








=d 



a - ji - na 



i!s^ 



go - o - yan a - ni 



a - ni - na 



t:=t 



]i - a - ne 



]i - a 



i=^ 



ji - a - ne 



a - m - na 



_0 0.^ — III 



ji - a - ue a - ni 



ji - a 



WORDS 

A^ninajun' What are you saying to me? 

Ogini'bagufi' I am arrayed like the roses 

Ajina^gooyan^ And beautiful as they 




Song picture no. 71. 
The heart of the fig- 
ure is shown. (For 
drawing of roses, 
compare song no. 99.) 



90 




BtJREAlJ OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 72 (b) (Catalogue no. 74^ 



Song picture no. 72. 
The lines diverging 
from the figure of the 
man were said to 
represent "feeling." 
(Compare drawing of 
song no. 103.) 



Niwawin^gawia^ I can charm the man 

EnFniwa^ He is completely fascinated 

by me 



No. 73 (c) 



(Catalogue no. 75) 



Ninda^agagia'' 

FenFni 

Namundj^ 

En^dogwen^.. 
Wi^agudjiiig' 



WORDS 

[Free translation] 
I can make that man bashful. I 
wonder what can be the matter 
that he is so bashful 




Song picture no. 73. 




No. 74 (d) 



(Catalogue no. 76) 



WORDS 

Mi'sawe^kiimig' In the center of the earth 

A^yagwen^ Wherever he may be 

Ana^makiiY Or under the earth 



Song picture no. 74. 



dknsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 75. Love-charm Song 



91 

(Catalogue no. 52) 



Siino: by Manido'gicigo^kwe (" spirit day woman ") 
Voice J := 72 
Recorded without drum 








-=t 



i^i 



0. .0- .0. -4. -0-. .0- .0.. -#- -#-. ~\- 








ig: -V :it 




The singer of this and the following song is a 
woman whose personality is unique and interest- 
ing.'' 

Analysis. — It is impossible to indicate by any 
notation the peculiar nuances of this singer. A 
slight prolonging of certain tones gives the songs 
a fascinating effect, heightened by a slight glis- 
sando. The songs are also sung with the nasal 
quality affected by the Chippewa when singing 
love songs. 

Attention is directed to the fact that this, like man}^ other Chippewa 
love songs, has a slow metric unit. 



Song picture no. 75. The 
power of the love charm is 
shown by the manner in 
which the woman attracts 
the man, who appears 
rather reluctant. 



a A description of this singer is given in connection with song no. 133. See also pi. 11. 



92 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll 45 

No. 76. Love-charm Song (Catalogue no. 53) 

Sung by Manido^gicigo^kwe 



Voice J = 84 
Recorded without drum 




Songs Connected with the Cure of the Sick 

The treatment of the sick is conducted by the okler membei's of 
the Mide'wlwm, special songs being sung in connection with the 
use of medicinal herbs. This treatment is frequently given in con- 
junction with an initiation ceremony, the person being initiated in 
order to cure him of his bodily illness. Reference is made to song 
no. 47 (p. 73), the words of which are more characteristic of the 
Mlde' than the words of the songs which follow under this heading 
and which are connected with personal incidents. In song no. 47 
the power of the Mide' to cure the sick is affirmed and emphasized, 
it being further stated that the white shell is the means used to that 
end. This element of affirmation is very strong in the Mide' and to 
it may largely be attributed the power of the Mide' over the minds 
of the Chippewa. 

Mi'jakiya'cig C' clearing sky"), an aged woman who is a member 
of the Mide'wlwin, sang the two following songs associated with 
her personal experience.'* 

We'nabo'jo and his grandmother are the principal characters in 
Chippewa folklore. We'nabo'jo is also connected with the Mide', 
though the connection is not clearly defined. 

a Mi'jakiya'clg stated that she was very ill when she was a young woman. Her parents prepared a 
feast and sent for a MIde'wInl'nI. After partaking of the feast the Mlde'wInJ'nl "spoke to the manido'," 
saying that she wished to have her life prolonged by means of the Mide'. He then smoked the tobacco 
which her father had provided. A few days later a, larger feast was held and many members of the Mlde'- 
wlwln were invited. After all had smoked, the first MIde'wInl'nI told them her desire; then he sang these 
two songs, the people dancing as he sang. Mi'jakiya'clg stated further that her health was entirely 
restored. 



de.nsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 77. Healing wSong 

Suns; by Mi'jakiya'cig 



93 

(Catalogue no. 78) 



Voice J= 104 
Recorded without drum 




"We - on - di - kwe - bi - \vu 



a 



^ 



w^ 



^' 



=^ 



4-L-^ =F 



3^3: 



kuo - mis 



fm 



on - dl 






kwe - bi - wtiar 



It' ^ ^ -t 

we - on - dl - kwe - bi - wHec e 



We'ondikwe'biwi'ig' They are in close consultation 

with their heads together 

We'nabo'jo We'nabo'jo 

Okwomisiim' And his grandmother 

Analijsis. — Two strongly ascending ])rogressions at 
the first of this song mark it as different from the ma- 
jority of Mide' songs. The dotted quarter at the begin- 
ning of each measure forms the foundation of a simple 
rhythmic unit which is repeated with little change 
throughout the song. 

No. 78. Healing Song 

Sung by Mi'jakiya'cig 
Voice J =: 100 
Recorded without drum 




Song picture no. 
77. We'nabo'jo 
and his grr. nd- 
mother are shown 
in this drawing. 

(Catalogue no. 79) 



Szi:^ 



>4 -*— •- 



iii^-Eii^^ 



Ni-ma-ni-do- wi - na - wa ui-kan-tig i hi e ni-ma-ni 



f^ — ^~ F|-4 — u z:[|QT5J*:rr]izzp:z 



do - wi - na 



wa ni -kan -fig i hi e 



ni- ma-ni 



do - wi - ta 



l^iA: 



?s 



I 



^s^^3^^ 



wa ni - kau - tic 



hi 



ni - ma-ni- do ni-kau - tig 



94 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Nimanido'winawa^ I see a spirit likeness 

Nikaii^ In my Mide^ brother 

Nimanido'witawa^ He speaks with spirit power 

Nikan^ My Mide' brother 

Analysis. — The rhythmic unit of this song occurs four times and 

is readil}^ discerned. Attention is directed to the range and tenor 

register of this song, which was sung by an old woman. The voice 
was harsh in quahty, but fairly accurate in intonation. 



No. 79. Healing Song 

Sung by O^deni^gun 



(Catalogue no. 71) 



Voice Jrz 116 
Drum J=z 116 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



§9^1 



t—^—fi- 



te: 



M-^—^ 



± 



^^ 



^ — n- 



Si^^l^E^gSlSii 



iiip=i=p=^ 



l^=l=t;t 



©^==i 



4 -« — 4- 






i 



+ 



_^_^ — ft 



n—n — ^ 



il 



\—ft- 



.t==: 



■P — n- 



p—n — (^- 



A - di- zo - ka- n<ig a - di - zo - ka- nfiEr o he o he 



gSgi ^^ 



^_^. 



:S=^=::ii=:i: 



S 



-I — m 
nin - do-ta-wi-o -ge-dji-ga - gi - gi-do-yan 



tl:4=! 






^=11^==]: 



i^ 



-n — ^-^-^- 



:U: 






:W=ti: 



^i| 



P^^—ft (Z. 



«■ 



-p p ^ 



rf=::ta=^L 



w—P—n 



+ 



+ 



©4 



_,_^_ 



t- 3— I U =E :^ — '^ L^L U^r=[ :4=^-EES= tt=^t=l 



•=P= 



g 



+ 



P—P 






BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



BULLETIN 45 PLATE 9 




GE'MIWUNAC 



DENSMOKE] CHIPPEWA MUvSIC 95 



WORDS 



A^dizoka^nilg In a dream 

Ninan'dotagog' 



T^.„ ./ ., / r I was instructed to do lliia 

Djigag/gidoyan^ 

Narrative. — The singer gave the following history of this song: 

Many years ago there lived at Gull Lake a man named Niogi'cig ("four days"). 
This man had lain for a long time upon a bed of suffering and there seemed no help 
for him. At last he decided to send tobacco to the ]\Iide^ men and see if they could 
help him. They made him a drum and he played on it and sang this song, which 
he composed himself. The words mean, "It was told me m my dream that I should 
do this and I would recover." 

Analysis. — The rhythm of this song is peciiharly energizing, and 
when once estabhshed would undoubtedly have a beneficial physical 
effect. The surprising feature of this case, however, is that the song 
is said to have been composed and the rhythm created by the sick 
man himself. 

A repetition of this song was secured from the same singer after a 
lapse of several months. The second rendition was identical with 
the first, beginnmg on the same tone and showing faulty intonation 
on the same tones. 

No. 80. Healing Song (Catalogue no. 14) 

Sung by Ge^miwunac^« 

From the musical and the dramatic standpoint this is one of the 
finest songs in the entire collection. It is a song which would be 
sung when a member of the Mlde'wiwin was dying — when death was 
expected at any moment. The music in the lodge at the time of 
Flat Mouth's death was similar to that here given. It represents a 
type of song which members of the Mlde'wlwin are especially 
reluctant to sing. 

Analysis. — A peculiar quality of sadness and pleading is found in 
this song, a quality heightened by the upward progression at the 
opening of the song and the frequent use of the flatted second. This 
accidental was always given accurately. Attention is directed to the 
descent of a perfect fifth, followed by the descent of a perfect fourth, 
at the close of the song. 

a An aged man, one of the most eminent MIdc'wInl'nl in northern Minnesota. (PI. 9.) His name was 
known on all the reservations and he was held in the same liish esteem everywliere. He was in charge 
of the MIde' ceremonies which were held during the last hours of Niganlbines' (see p. 51). The writer 
had no conversation with him at that time. Returning to Leech Lake several months later she met 
Ge'miwdnac' again and asked him to sing. It was probably owing to a remembrance of incidents con- 
nected with Flat Mouth's death that he was willing to sing this song. He stated that it was similar to 
those sung during the last hours of Flat Mouth, but that he was then so overcome that he could not 
recall exactly what songs were used. 



96 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Voice J =: 56 
Recorded without drum 



=3^-^ 






-fj-i_^ — ^ — 1 

4 



Ki - uia - ni - do - we 



M na loa ki 



ma - ni- do - we 






/ii na tua ki - ma - ni-do- we 

-4= 



hi na wa ki 



ma - ni-do - we 



:Bzri2:|^z:S=^==i^=3^=!1=rf|iii:>--^z=^-^==(|:^' 
-^^-b-4 •— ip=^J^ •'— F|^4 =<i-. 3 — i ^ [\-4=i 



--^=t 



^ftE 



hi na wa ki - ma - ni-do - we 

1 1 '^F i 



hi na iva 






hi 



en-da-ui - kan e ma-ni - do-wa-ne toe hi a we 






^^M- 



M-»^-P— (=^— Fl-^^— •— •- 



i^^ii^^[is^^ 



ma -ni-do -we 



iSi: 



- ^-■i i — I — 



^=» 



Tit Tia wa ki 



ma-ni-do-we 



hi na wa ki- 



;4: 



^SEJEd=f|SS^Eq=f| 



ma-ui-do -we 



hi na wa ki 



WORDS 



ma-ni-do - we hi na wa hi 



Kimanido^wihe^ You are a spirit 

Kimanido^wiin I am making you a spirit 

Enda^nabiyan^ In the place where I sit 

Kimanido^wiin' I am makins; you a spirit 

Songs Connected with Rare Medicines 

Sung by O'deni'gun 

These are examples of the songs which may be sung at the dance 
following an initiation and also in the lodges during the evenings 
which precede the ceremony. They are songs which can be sung only 
by those who purchase the right to sing them. O'deni'gun, who 
sang all the songs in this group, is said to be ''one of the most 
powerful medicine-men on the White Earth reservation." (See fig. 7, 
p. 100.) 

The word "medicine" as here used refers to any substance by 
means of which results are supposed to be mysteriously attained. 
The narratives concerning these songs were given by the singer and 
are transcribed as nearly as possible in the words of the interpreter. 



UKNSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 97 

No. SI. Song of the Flying Feather (Catalogue no. 191) 

Voice J— 100 

Drum J^ 108 
(Drum-rliythm similar to No. 1) 



Siiii^:l^i^i^ii^^l 



^I3|fe 



i'a Aa ya ha mon o - do-no-dji - i - gou ya ha ya ha 
-» — « -• — o- 



m^^^^m^^^^^M 



vion a-do-no-dji - i-gou ya ha ya ha ??!on o- do-no-dji -i-gon 



^^^^ 



3: 



--%-V 



g=f^==L^ 



i na ha toe a hi a en - di-mu-sa-o -no-dji-gan 



-C ^ 



fSEEfSS 



e=t:=E 



[Iff* 



F=tl3-z£E=_E 



?/a M ya ha mon o- do-no-dji - i - gou ya ha ya ha 



i?gg^|^i^^E^iEg|:i^^lgp[i^^P^I 



mon o - do - no - dji - i - gou i na ha loe a hi a 



HARMONIC ANALYSIS 



3 measures 



5 measures 



i 






2 measures 



5 measures 




Migwun The feather 

O^donoMjiigon^ Is coming toward 

Endimo'nondjiigan' The body of the Mide^wini'ni 

Narrative. — In a wigwam lived a man and his wife, but 
after a time the woman ran away. Then the man went to an 
old Mide'wini'nl and said to him, "My wnfe has run away; I 
wish that you would take pity on me and bring her back 
again . ' ' 

The old man replied, "Your wife will come back to-night." 
Then he added, "I am sure of this, because the sound of my 
drumming is heard all over the world and when she hears it 
she can not help coming back." So he began to drum and to sing this song, and the 
man's wife came back to him. Then the old man gave him a charm so that hig 
wife would never run away again. 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 7 



Song pictuke no. SL In 
this drawing tlie persons 
mentioned in tlie song 
arc represented twice. 
Tlie man and his wife 
are sliown in tlie wig- 
wam; the man is shown 
al.so beside the wigwam, 
while his wife is at a 
distance. (Compare 
drawing of song no. 1.) 



98 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Explanation of the flying feather and the flying man. — All the old Indians kn<iw about 
the flying man. He was a very powerful Mide'" who could cause a feather to 
come to him out of the air. This feather would come toward him and enter into his 
body. Then the man could rise up and fly like a bird. The Chippewa depended 
upon him in the wars with the Sioux, for he could fly through the air and spy out the 
enemy. Once the Chippewa suspected that the Sioux were near and they sent this 
flying man to look over the country. As the Sioux were sitting in their camp they 
saw the flying man coming toward them in the air, and the leader of the Sioux said to 
his men, "Fill up that pipe as fast as you can;" so they filled the pipe and lighted it. 
They held the stem of the pipe up toward the flying man. They pointed it at him and 
he could not see the crowd of Sioux. lie did not see them at all. So he returned to 
his friends and said that he did not see the Sioux anywhere. Then the Chippewa 
marched across an open field. The Sioux were watching, but they let them pass. 
Then the Sioux shot and killed them all, even the flying man. 

Analysis. — This song is harmonic in character, beginning on the 
octave, descending a minor third, and then following the tones of the 
tonic triad. The song contains a short rhythmic unit which occurs 
five times, giving the song its forceful, energetic character. The 
rhythm is exceptionally strong and clearly marked throughout the 
song. 

No. 82. Song of the Man Who Succeeded (Catalogue no. 192) 

Voice J= 100 

Drum J= 108 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 




^ill^^ili3^g-^f£s§igE[|=F^ 



-(2- 



Hfep^f^fiEfES 



^— ^ 



"t: 



4=^ 




Nin'sa I myself 

Ningagwe'djisea' \\'ill test my power 

Narrative. — There was once a man who had never tested the 
power of his medicine in the hunt. It was a time of starvation 
in the camp. The man himself was starving. A very old Mide' 
had been training him for a long time, but the old man lived 
far away. The man found himself thrown on his own resources. 
He resolved to do his best, so he composed this song and went forth to hunt. The 
venture was a desperate one, but he succeeded, and killed a bear. Afterward this 
was his medicine-song. 

oin conversational Chippewa Ihc term Hide' is frequently used instead c' Midc'ivin'i'ni, referring to 
a male member of the Mide'wiwiii. 



Song picture no. 82. 



densmohe] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



99 



Analysis. — Tlie transcription is from the second of the four ren(h- 
tions on the phonotjraph record. In the third and fourth ren(htions 
the words are shghtly clianged, thus affecting the note-vahies, the 
melo(hc trend remaining the same. Even in this rendition the words 
are too broken by interpolated synal)les to be transcri})ed. 

The intonation of the first note of the song is always clear. The 
accidental is also clear, but the intonation is wavering in most of the 
song. The accidental is the lowered sixth, which occurs frequently 
in the Chippewa songs under consideration. There is no repetition 
of a rh3^thmic unit in this song, although the various parts bear a 
very close resemblance to one another. 

No. 80. Song of a Scalp Dance (Catalogue no. 193) 

Voice J =104 
Drum J :=: 138 
(Drura-rhytlim similar to No. 1; 



EBid?:2z:t 



-•- -»- 









^ 






=t=t=a±=fcff=t=ffi=t-^- 



ii=3^=P 




WORDS 

Ninga^onde'nimisjo' Some will be envious 

Gi'witagiVig Who are in the yky 

Nina'niminan' I am dancing around 

Ini'niwi'stigwan' A man't^ scalp 

Narrative. — This song carries us far into the past with its war 
parties and wild rejoicings of victory. It was sung on the return 
of the Chippewa from the Sioux country, with scalps. After 
the usual scalp dances there was held a special dance called a 
"round dance," because it took place around a grave. If pos- 
sible, this was the grave of a person killed by the Sioux, often 
the grave of the person whose death had been avenged by the 
war. At the close of this ' ' round dance ' ' the poles bearing the 
scalps were stuck into the ground at the head of the grave, to 
poles should decay and fall. The drawing of the song shows 
during the dance, but only one placed at the head of the grave, 
scalp of the penson who killed the liuriod Chippewa. 




Song picture no. 83. 
The drawing shows 
the dancinR circle, 
the men carrying 
scalps upon poles, the 
grave of the Chip- 
pewa, and the pole at 
the head of the grave. 

stay there uiifil tlie 

three scalps upheld 

This may be the 



100 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Analysis. — Beginning on the sixth and ending on the third, this 
melod}^ is somewhat unnsuaL The voice accent and consequent 
measure lengtlis are unmistakable, the only irregularity being in the 
first two measures after the rest, these measures being a trifle shorter 
than the metronome time. The drum is exceedingly rapid and the 
melody in very modej-ate tempo, a combination often found in songs 
of mental excitement. 





Fig. 7. Birch-bark rolls containing mnemonics of the songs connected with rare medicines, and used by 
O'deni'gun when singing these songs. 

No. 84. SoNCx OF Good Medicine (ratalosjue no. 194) 

Narrative. — There were once two men, the elder of whom 
was very disagreeable toward everyone, and would not believe 
anything that was told him. The younger man was his constant 
companion, but was entirely different from him m every respect. 
One day the younger man secured a thread from the clothing 
of the elder and took it to an old Mide^ asking him to change 
the disposition of the elder man by means of medicine. The 
old Mide^ took a feather, cut the quill, and ])ut the threads 
inside the quill with a little medicine. Then he fastened 
the quill together in such a way that the cut was not visible. 
The old Mide^ also gave the younger man a feather which 
looked exactly like the one with medicine in it. On his return 
the younger man gave his friend the feather containing the 




Song PICTURE NO. 84. Tlie 
feathers are seen near 
the Mlde'wlnl'nl. 



DENSilOKE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



101 



medicine and his friend placed the feather in his hair, supposing it to be an orna- 
ment. Both men wore the feathers in their hair. After a time the disposition of 
the elder man began to change. He grew kind and amiable toward everyone until at 
last he was entirely cured of all his disagreeable qualities. This was the work of the 
sood medicine and the singing of the old Mlde'. 



Voice J— 92 
Drum J=: 116 
( J)rum-rbythm similar to No. 1 ) 



i^ 



^ jfL ^^ 



- ^^m 



az^|=L.b=L-t±: 



sS* 



a: 



Az 



^^sfe^_^^=^ 



^^=S= 




[Chippewa words not transcribed] 



[Free translation] 
I control him by means of the 
feather so that he will lead a good 
life 



Analysis. — It was extremeh^ diffieult to find the metric unit of tliis 
sono-. It was finally found in three consecutive tones which bore an 
evident metric relation to one another. It was then d iscovered that the 
same metric unit underlay the remainder of the song, and working 
from these three tones it was possible to divide the song into note- 
values; the notes were then grouped into measures according to the 
accents. Having transcribed the song according to this process, the 
rhythm, which seemed hopelessly obscure, was seen to be quite clear. 
By tapping the rhythm of this song with a pencil one may gain an 
idea of its peculiarity, and of the unmistakable manner in which the 
entire song constitutes itself a rhythmic unit. The song was recorded 
several times, the repetitions being identical in rhythm. 

The tone marked •) was given in every instance less than its 
proper time. 

This song offers a distinct problem in tonality. The tones are 
those of the fourth five-toned scale on G flat, but the first part of the 
song affiliates only with the chords of the ke}^ of D flat and the last 
part only with the chords of the key of G flat. Neither key is well 
established by the melody. In this, as in similar instances, the 
signature at the beginning of the staff should be understood as 
affecting the tones on the lines or spaces indicated, but not as imply- 
ing that the corresponding key is fully established by the melody. 



102 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 85. Song of the Crab Medicine-bag (Catalogue no. 195) 

Voice J = 104 
Drum J=: 116 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 




A - ca wi he he a ne a - ca we he he a ne hi hi 



=9-4=1^ 



lf=^^l 



p^| ;g=f=i^i?=r=r=r=ar 



^[==^=F 






hi hi hi a-ca we he he a he a-ca we a ni ni hi hi hi 




^t 



-Ji—JL. 



^— ^— ^ 



^ 



ni hi hi wa-ca we he he a ni wa-ca we he he a ni 



^i 



H* ^ 



teE 



=P=p: 




0:^ 



niu-da-we-dja ha ni hi hi ya ha ni }d ni hi hi hi hi hi wa-ca 

WORDS 

Aca^'gecen'' Like a crab 

Ninda^badjia^ I am using it 

Narrative. — Two women are mentioned in this song. Their 
grandfather gave them each a medicine-bag made of the skin of 
a small crab. The two women wore these medicine-bags around 
their necks and after receiving the bags they never lacked for 
anything — they had all that they wanted. This was a good kind 
of medicine-bag, for the crab has claws which hold very tightly, so 
the medicine-bag enabled the women to hold on to everything 
that was good . 

Analysis. — This song resembles a chant. The 
accents and the grouping of tones are clearly marked, but the metric 
unit (J=104) varies constantly, the variation not being sufficient to 
be indicated. The first word is so dismembered as to lose its identity, 
only the first two syllables being retained. The syllable ne marks the 
conclusion of the succession of syllables which represent the word. 
The second word is mispronounced. The song continues one acci- 
dental tone. 



Song picture no. 85. 
The drawing repre- 
sents a MIde' bag 
with two mi'gis be- 
side it. 



DIONS. MOU1-; 1 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



103 



No. S(). Song of the Fire-charm (Caiiilos^mc no. id?) 

Voice J— 69 
Drum J =126 
( Druiu-rhythin similar to No. 1 ) 



L=S^: 




:=i±i: 






:=:S3 ^ ^ ^ 







we Ae Ae 






\^^^ 



we lie he i- iia - ko - ne ?/a /ii Ai ni-ya-we he he 



ui - ya - we he he i - na - ko - ue ?/a Aa Aa ni - ya 



Ina'kone' The flame goes up 

NivawTii' To inv body 







Song picture no. Sii. 
The flames are seen 
ascending from a 
circle of fire. 



Narrative. — The greatest wonder that ever came to the Indians 
was fire. Like everything else, it came to them through ]\lide'. 

Someone asked, "What do you want to do with this?" A man 
replied, "This fire is for warmth and for cooking." The Indians 
were afraid of it at first, but soon learned that it was useful. 

Once there was a fire burning on the ground and many people were sitting around 
it. A man rose and walked away and j^ut medicine on his feet. Then he came back 
and stood in the fire, and he was not burned at all. After he came out of the fire all 
the people looked to see his feet. He was barefooted, but he was not burned at all. 
Some tried to find out how he did it. They said that they would walk away and 
come back and stand in the fire, but the man said that they had better not try it. 
While he was in the fire he was chewing medicine and spitting the juice on his body, 
so that, although the flames came up all around his body, he was not burned at all. 

Probably some of the very oldest Mide' still have some of this medicine which they 
can put on their feet and walk in the fire without being burned. They can also put 
it on their hands and take hold of very hot stones without being burned. 

Analysis. — This song differs from other jMide' songs in that tlic 
singer sang the song through once, with the portion to be repeated, 



104 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 45 



and then gave the ejaculations wa hi hi hi hi, wa hi In Id hi, after 
which he began at the beginning and sang the entire song again; tliis 
being contrasted with the custom of repeating the last portion of the 
song an indefinite number of tinuvs without a ])ause. Three complete 
renditions were recorded by the ])honograph. The slow voice-rhythm 
and rapid driun are found in this as in other songs of mental stress. 
The pulse of the measure-lengths is uniform throughout the song, 
though some measures are in 2-4 and some in 3-4 time. 

No. 87. Song of Starvation (Catalogue no. 199) 

Voice J~ 108 
nKUiM J =126 
(Drum-rhythm simihir to No.l) 



s 



-tJ 



!=^' 



1^ 



— # — 0- 



Ya - wg - ueu ge - ma - ma- dji - dod 



in - yau ya - we -uen 






:L^=L-^= 



-(2- 



ge - ma - ma-dji - dod ni - yau ya - we - iigii ge - ma - nia - dji - dod 



ni 



-9 m- 



i 



|fe£ 



yau 

_^ — ^- 



in - de - mu - sa - j/o - gi - o - ji - ton ni 



yau 



-• • — b rb 1 



ya - we -neu ge - ma-ma- dji - dod 



_^_j 1 

yau ya - we - nen 



-B:0— p f9 ^ 


fj 


U -1 


1 — ^"^ 1 1 

\ 1 P 


(T? 


w—^^\ 


^^ B — T~f- r f= 


^ — 


4 ^ 




-\=— 


fe=t:^-! 



ge-ma-nia-dji-dod ni - yau ya-we-neu ge-ma-ma-dji-dod ni - yau 




Awenen' Who 

Geraania'djidod ' Will take 

Niau' My body? 

Fkwe A woman 

Inde'musa^ogio'jiton' . Is making the medicine 

Narrative. — In the olden times the Indians had no 
weapons except bows and arrows, and they often suf- 
fered greatly for lack of food. In those days they were very jealous of each other 
because some could get more game than others. Sometimes a man who had plenty 
of food was later "starved out" by other Indians until he was so hungry that he 
could eat grass. This was accomplished by means of medicine. 

Once a man wdio was nearly starving went to an old MTde' and asked for his help. 
The old Mide^ said, "Well, my grandchild, I will do what you wish because I fur- 



SONG PICTUItE NO. 87. 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



105 



nished to the other parties the medicine which has harmed you." Then the old 
Mide^ hired a woman to go to the other camp and steal some small object from their 
food supply. He wanted her to bring him a small bone from some of their game, 
but at the last moment she refused to go. Then he hired another woman. She 
worked at the other camp, and she brought the bone which the Mide^ wanted. First 
the ]\IIde^ put medicine on the bone ; then he hid it and began to sing this song. In a 
short time the people at the other camp could get no game at all. They almost starved, 
but the man whom the Mide' was helping could get all the game that he wanted. 

Analysis. — The accidental forms the chief musical feature of this 
song. The sixth is lowered a semitone each time it occurs except in 
the last word. In the first syllahle of that word the F sharp is 
sung accurately in each rendition of the song, while in the following 
measure the tone is about midway l^etween F sharp and F natural. 

No. 88. Song of the Owl Medicine (Catalogue no. 200) 

Voice J =104 
Drum J= 112 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 



:^i2 



t=±: 



zz: 



::j^—^- 



P 



-jtmt 



m 



Nin - go - ca nin - ga - gwet - ni - se - a niu - go - ca uin - ga - gwet -ni- se- 



Eg^^ 



T, 



■+-m f ~ ~ — (-^ — a- 






niu -go - ca nin - ga - gwet - ni - se - a uui-go - ca nm-ga - 



^i=^ 



:t=: 



:F-=t 



^-^^-^^g^OS=Ld 



gwet - ni - se 



in -de - mu - sa gl we da 



ni no gi 



£3 




go - ca nni - ga 



{wet 



nni - go - ca nni - ga 




Nin'goca' I am the one 

Ningagwet'sea^ Who is trying to fly 

Inde'musa^ He is making it (the medicine) 

Narralire. — This song was composed by the same old Mide^ as the preceding song 
and most, of the other songs in this series. 

Once a man and his wife came to this old Mide^. He could see that they were 
starving, and he said, "Stay here at my camp to-night." The snow was 3 feet deep, 
and the man and his wife had been obliged to eat most of their dogs. The Mide' 
gave them food and made them comfortable. 



106 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



TBrLL. 45 




Lato that night the old Mide' got ready to sing, and while he was singing he sent 

an owl over to the camp where the Indians lived who were trying to starve this man 

and his wife. The owl carried the bad medicine and sat at the head of their camp 

that night, but they did not know it. This owl was just the dried skin of an owl 

with the medicine inside of it. 

The old rule was that if a man killed an animal he must first divide it among the 

camps; then he must cook his own share of the meat and invite all 

the old men to come and eat it with him. If he failed to do this 

they would be jealous and would "starve him out," as was the case 

with this man and his wife. 

After singing this song and sending the owl to the other camp 

the old Mide^ was sure that the man and his wife would have no 

further trouble. He also gave them medicine to carry, so that 

The Mide'wini'nl', they could get near to the animals when they were hunting. 

the man and his All that the Mide^ said was true. The other camp could get no 

wi e, are seen ni le j ^ after the owl went to the camp. The Indians there nearly 
wigwam, fromwhich . . ^ •' 

the owl is flying. starved, but the man and his wife had plenty of game. 

Analysis. — This song contains no change of rhythm, an unusual 
feature in a Mide' song. The key of A minor is plainly implied by 
the melody, although there is very little to establish the key. The 
song begins on the ninth and ends on the fifth. It contains no repe- 
tition, the syllables ho Jio lio ho, which indicate the conclusion of a 
song, being given after each rendition. 




Additional Mide' Songs 
No. 89. Song of the Bear Path (Catalogue no. 236) 

Sung by Maix'ans 

This is said to be the oldest Mide' song known. If this were sung 
in a Mide' gathering, it w^oidd be necessary to make large gifts to 
the singer, and before singing he would call on the 
Mide' manido'. No one would sing this song who 
had not purchased the right to sing it. 

Analysis. — The sj^ncopation in this melody, as well 
as the slight prolonging of many of the tones, makes 
it difficult of accurate transcription. The melody 
follows the intervals of the minor triad and fourth, 
but it is the rhythm which im]:)resses the ear most 
strongly. This very peculiar rhj^thm is maintained 
throughout the various renditions. The tone is 
wavering, with the vibrato so frequently used in 
these songs. The seventh of the minor scale does 
not occur in the song. The seventh of the second 
five-toned scale is the fifth of the fourth five-toned 
scale, and is seldom omitted. Its omission seems to indicate a feeling 
for the minor tonality as such, rather than a use of the tones of the 
fourth (or major) five-toned scale with a different keynote. 



Song PICTURE NO. 89. In 
the Mide' there are said 
to be many "paths;" 
this song relates to the 
" bear-path " and a bear 
is shown in the draw- 
ing. Birds are closely 
associated with the sec- 
ond, third, and fourth 
degrees, and a bird ap- 
pears in this drawing, 
though it is not men- 
tioned in the song. 



DENS more! 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



107 



Voice J^- 168 

Drum J = 96 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 
-•. j^ ^ ^.^ 






fes 



1^=^ 



-^ -^ H*- •#- 



iS: 



A - ni - ni - kwa - bi - kfin 



ni - kan e Ae a 



-__ « _ ^ ^_ .- _ — ,_— » ^_i ^_ 

-t^T — ■ — ' ^ " r- • * — [v I F 1 1 ■!— 



ni - iii - Ivwa - bi 



kfiu - u 



ni - kail 



he 



^Si^. 



ni - ui - kwa - bi 






kiui - u 



ni - kan 



he 



=9^ 



=P==jr=p: 






ui - ni - kwa - bi 



kfm - u ni - kan e Ae 



t^f • • * * '- • 



=t^=F= 



ui - ni - kwa - bi 



kCm - u ni - kau e he 



3^ 



— t/- 



rt=: 



EriEFKS^SEi 



8. 



L^=f3=i| 



ui-ni-kwa-bi - kHu-u ui - kan e niu - dau-di- wa-yan 

WORDS 

A^niui^kwahikun^i We are following the bear path 

Nikan^ .My Mide^ brother 

Xo. 90. "They are :MakiNG Me Old " (Catalogue no. 248) 

Sung l>y Main'ans 
Voice J — 120 

Drum J= 120 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 

-!*- -^- -f- _ _-•-■«-•-#--•- 



^^*-^iLM=,t^ 



■jr_ 



^^^=^=t 



I 



Ma-ni-do - wi-djig he he he he he nin-ge - ka - i -gog o ho 



^^m^^i 



=P=^=B= 






pre he he eu-da-na -bi-au j hi hi hi hi yo a he he he 



^i; 



-n—n—»- 



=t==F=f:: 



fe-3=rEr-:^EES= 



p=^=t^t^=^=f:=bt=^t=^=p: 



H 



2/0 a /ie 2/" « Ae he he he he he he yo a he yo a he 



108 



BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 




Manido^widjig'' Those who are spirits 

Ningeka^igogf' Are making me old 

Endaiia^bian^ Where I am sitting 

Analysis. — This song is purely melodic in cliar- 

acter, following the intervals of the second five- 

soNG PICTURE NO. 90. toncd scalc. It clearly illustrates the custom of 

of the Mide' a man interpolating Syllables in the words of the !Mkle' songs. 

lives to be so old This is said to be a very old song. 

that he leans on a ' " 



staff as he walks. 



No, 91. "To THE Spirit Land' 

Sung by Main'ans 



(Catalogue no. 253) 



Voice J =138 
Drum J=:112 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 



ay 



-•- -•- -•- -•- 



•ttt 






:t=t: 



A - ui - ma - dja ha ha a -ni-ma-dja ha ha a - ni - ma 






=F=EE^s: 






^^^^^- 



dja ha ha a -ni-ma-dja ha ha a -ni-ma-dja ha ha a-ni-ma- 



PiSpE 



£ 



:p: 



z\i=-. 



dja ha ha a - ui - ma - dja 






:t: 



EEEf; 



a - - da - ua - wlil - 



:p=:zp: 






he 



he hiu - di - no 



he he 






st 



EEEEE 



-p 



a - ni - ma 



dja ha ha a-ni-ma - dja ha ha 



li||=^S^^^ 






feEt=EEEE=iEil 



dja ha ha ha a - ui - ma - dja ha ha a - ui - ma - dja 

WORDS 

Aoda^nawiiie' To the spirit land 

A^nimadja' I am going 

Hin^dinose^ I am walking 

Before singing this song the singer said, "It is hard now when a 
man dies, but death was more tragic among the Indians in the old 
days." 



dexsmore] 



CHTPPEWA MUSIC 



109 



Analysis. — This song has the smallest range of an}^ song analyzed. 
It was sung five times, each rendition ending on F sharp. The tempo 
is plainly 5-4, and the pulse of the measure-beginnings is exact, though 
too slow to be indicated b}^ the metronome. The divisions of the 
measure are imperfectl}' indicated by note values, the first tone in sev- 
eral measures being slightly })rolonged beyond the value of a dotted 
quarter. It is these delicate distinctions in time values which give 
to a song, as sung by the Indian, its peculiar expressiveness and 
appealing cjualit}^. As in other songs of this character, the accidental 
is the lowered sixth. At first the singer did not sing tins accurately, 
but later jrave it with correct intonation. 



No. 92. "I Will Sing" 

Sung by Main^ans 



Voice J=;84 
Drum J =92 
( Druiu-rhythin similar Lo No. 1 ) 



A- ^- 






=t: 




ztL 



(Catalogue no. 255) 



T=4: 



Ni - da - zou -ga-gi-dau 



da -zou -ga-gi-dau 




ni-da - zou - ga-gi-dau e ni-da-zou- ga-gi-df 







Sg^ 



ni - da - zon - ga-gi-dau e ni - da - zou - ga - gi - dan 






g^( 






3= 



ni-da - zon - ga - gi - dan e ni - da - zon - ga - gi - dan 



-• — # 1 h 



-* ^ — • • — a — r* ■ 



Ml -de - wi-\viu ni - da - zou - ga - gi - daa e 



ni- da 



WORDS 

Nidazon'gagidan' I will sing with the great pc .wer 

Hide'wiwiu Of the Mide^viwTn 

This song was sung during tlie preparation of the medicines, not 
during the ceremonv of initiation. 



110 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Analysis. — This song contains one accidental tone, which occurs 
only in the introductory measures. Considerable freedom is allowed 
the singer in beginning a song. The portion of the song following 
the word "Mide'wiwm" is recorded seven times, each 
repetition returning to the point indicated and com- 
pleting the circuit with no variation except that the 
two measures between the double bar and the word 
" Mide'wiwin " are once omitted. The transfer of 
the accent from the second to the first syllable of the 
Song PICTURE NO. 92. first word is clearly marked. The melodic progres- 
wavy lines repre- gj^j^g ^j.g ^f giiorht importance and the intonation is 

sent the song. „ ■, ,' . . » , , j_i u • 

faulty, the transition from one tone to another being 
frequently glissando, but the metrical repetition of one word is con- 
tinuous and emphatic. 




No. 93. ''I AM Walking' 

Sung by Maix'Ans 



(Catalogue no. 256) 



Voice 



92 



m 



Drum J _ 92 

(Druiu-rliythm similar to No. 1 ) 






^ufcTh^-^ 



±f-^ 



J^ft 



f— ^ 



:3=L__=:=1 



"^^^l 



4: 



Da - bi-na-wau gi - no - se - yan i ne da - bi - na 



^—f- 



-ft — (•— f* — ft ^_^_i_ 



i 



-^«M 



:j== 



wan gi - no - se - yau i ne infi-ka-de-wa-kfim-ig 



^p=pq 



mM 



fii'f*^ 



yan i m 



^: 



A—t 



-^ — •- 



da - bi - na 



wan gi - no - se 




yan 



da bi - na 



wau gi - no - se 



'yan 



Dabi'nawa' Toward calm aii<l shady i)laces 

Nin'dinose^ I am walking 

MOk'ade'wakftm'ig . . . On the earth 




Song picture no. 93. 



Analysis.-"T\\e rhythm of this song is so irregular 
as to make it difficult of transcription. The tempo 
is rapid and the accents are slight. The pliono- 
graph record contains four renditions of this song, which are iden- 
tical in every respect, both the pecuHarity of the melody and 



densmuke] 



CHIPPENVA MUSIC 



111 



the variatitins in rhythin l)ein(i- accuiatoly reproduced. This is the 
more interesting as the tonahty in the first part of the song is so 
exceedingly irregular. 

Xo. 94. "There are Spirits" (Catalogue no. i) 

Simg by Gegwe'djiwe'einux^ ("trial-thrower ") 



Nigigwa'niwin At Otter Tail 

Ea' There 

Manido' Are spirits 

Weiienikau' Who is this, my Mide^ 

brother, 
Xiwawida'bima' .... That I am sitting with? 

In his dream the singer is sitting with 
the manido' at Otter Tail. 





CK 



Song picture no. 9-f. The two fisinrcs 
represent Mide' manido', or spirits. 
Plates nos. 1 and 2 show similar fig- 
ures on a Mide' drum. The animal 
was said to be a " lion," also a •• large 
eat with horns." A similar figure was 
drawn on the Mide' drum used dur- 
ing the ceremony for Nigan'Ibines'. 
(Seep. 54.) 



Xo. 95. "They Thixk Me I'navorthy" (Catalogue no. l') 
Sung by Gegwe'djiwe'eixux^ 



Song picture nq, 9.5. The ob- 
long represents the Mlde'- 
^igan; the two larger figures 
are manido' and tlie smaller 
ones members of the Midc'- 
wlwln. 



Xin'danawe'nimigr.g . . . They think me unworthy 

Nikan^ug My Mide^ brethren 

Nucke^ekundeg' But look and see 

Xiwrgiwam' The length of m^■ wigwam 



X'o. 96. "The Water Birds avill AlKtHt" (Catalogue no. 3) 
Sung by Gegwe'djiwe'binu.n' 

WORDS 

Keget^ Surely 

hida^bunisin'dangug' I'pon the whole length of ray form 

Bines^iwug^ Ir^, . ,■ , -,, ,■ , . 

" the water birds Will alight 

Ekwa yaweyan^ J 




Song picture no. %. The Mlde'winl'ni is represented 
in his own form and also in the form of a fish, upon 
which the water liirds alight. Ability to attract water 
animals is greatly desired by members of the Mide'- 
wlwln. 



112 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 97. "The wSky Clears" 

Sung by Gegwe'djiwe^binun^ 

WORDS 

Keget^ Verily 

Mijakwat^ The sky clears 

Nimitig^wakik' When my Mide^ drum 

Medwe^undjin Sounds 

Nin^a For me 

Keget' Verily 

A^natin^ The waters are smooth 

Nimitig^wakik' When my Mide^ drum 

Medwe^undjii/ Sounds 

Nin^a For me 



(Catalogue no. 4) 




Song picture no. 97. The arch represents the sky 
from which rain is falling. The two ovals repre- 
sent quiet lakes. In his left hand the man holds 
a Mide' drum and in his right hand a stick for 
beating the drum. 

No. 98. "I Walk in a Circle" 

Sung by Gegwe^djiwe^binun^ 

WORDS 

Nikan'inan' My Mide^ brethren 

Niwa^ninose^ I walk in a circle 

Ma^kwa The bear 

A^niija^ Goes on before 

Mide^wTgan'igmeduii To the Mide^ lodge 

Ningikino^amawa^ Telling 

Gitina^cina^be The old Indian 

Obagi'tciganui/ What gifts to give 




um 



Song picture no. 98. On a pole are hung 
blankets and other gifts, which are to be dis- 
tributed according to the directions of the bear. 
The person to be initiated appears in the draw- 
ing, also the bear, which is entering the Mfde'- 
wigan. Curiously, the bear's footprints precede 
him, indicating the path he is to travel. 



(Catalogue no. 5) 



DBNSMOiiE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 113 

No. 99. "Our Dwelling is Royal" (Catalogue no. 6) 
Sung by Deda^bicac' (" bird flying low toward the earth") 



WORDS 

Ninda^binan^ Our dwelling 

Ogimawan^ Is royal 

Ninda'binan^ Our dwelling 

Ayayado^damiiV Is widely renowned 




Song picture no. 99. 
The Mlde'wlnl'nl is 
seen in his own lodge, 
roses being introduced 
to express the idea of 
beauty or luxury. 




Song picture no. 100. 
Wavy lines represent 
the song. 



No. 100. "Vermilion, I Sing of Thee" (Catalogue no. 7) 

Sung by Deda^bicac' 



Onama^nahomaya' Vermilion, I sing of thee 

We^namana^homaya ... 0, Vermilion, I sing of thee 

Vermilion paint was frequently carried and used 
by the Mkle'. 



No. 101. "There Stands a Man" 

Sung by Deda^bicac'' 



WORDS 

Ni^boinfni , 

Ti, ... „, . 1 here stands a man 

Wanihinrni j^ . . ,. ^ , 

,,. ,,.. ,, . , It IS i(;r hiin 1 stand 

Miwe'djiga'boeyair 



No. 102. "I Stand" 

Sung by Deda'bicac' 

WORDS 

Niba'wiyan^ I stand 

Gid ub^ena^ Are you present? 

Wa'weciga'bowiyan^ I rise, I stand 

12692°— Bull. 45—10 8 



(Catalogue no. 8) 




Song picture no. 101. 
(Catalogue no. 9) 



114 




Song picture no. 103. 
The many straight lines 
diverging from the heart 
and l)ody of the man 
suggest the importance 
of being selected to share 
in the division of the 
oSering. , 



BUREAU or AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 103. "I AM Named" (Catalogue no. lO) 

Sung by Ge^miwunac^ 



WORDS 

Nimadwe'winigog^ I am named 

Mide'winiwug^ By the leaders of the 

Mide^ 
Wewflno'd Cimowiid' To receive a share of the 

offering 



No. 104. "I AM Unable to Harmonize My Voice " (Catalogue no. ii) 



Sung by Ge'miwunac^ 



Ningwinani'invve. . . 

Gwinawi^nowe' 

Ni^tcanicina^be 

Endanwe^nidfnV. . 
Ni^tcanicina^be. . . . 
Endanwe^nidun' . . 
Ningwa^nani'ina'. . 



[Free translation] 

I am unable to harmonize my 
voice with the voices of my 
fellow Indians which I 
hear at a distance 




Song picture no. 104. 
In this song the ques- 
tion is that of beauty, 
or "hannonizing the 
voice," and a rose takes 
the place of the wavy 
lines which represent a 
song when sung with 
the "power of the 
Mide'wlwin." The 
other singers are repre- 
sented by the figure in 
the background. 



No. 105. " They are Feasting with Me " (Catalogue no. 12) 

CCZ) Sung by Ge^miwunac' 



Niwido^pamigog . . . They are feasting with me 
Agwatci'siwayan^ . . . The outside medicine-bag 

Kima^nidom^ You are the spirit 

Gigani'nigo^ You will be called 




Song picture no. 105. 
This drawing suggests 
the square bag used by 
the Chippewa for stor- 
ing and carrying rice. 



DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 115 

No. 106. "The Sound is Fading Away " (Catalogue no. 13) 
Sung by Ge^miwunac' 



WORDS 

A''niwe'we The sound is fading away 

Na^nowe^we It is of five sounds 

Wa'naki^meniwa Freedom 

Gi'niwe^we The sound is lading away 

Na^nowe'we It is of five sounds 




Song picture no. lOG. 
The five wavy linos 
represent the "five 
sounds." 




Song picture no. 107. 
The person ad- 
dressed is repre- 
sented as a manido', 
in form Hkc tliose 
that appear in tlie 
water. 



No. 107. '' You are a Spirit " 

Sung by Ge'miwunac' 



(Catalogue no. 15) 



Ninma'nidowe^nimig' 
Gima'nido^wiin' . . . . 

Nikane 

Niyun^ 

Mandun' 

Ninikan' 

Manidowa^no2;wen'. . 



[Free translation] 



You are a spirit, my Mide'' 
■ brother; you are pre- 
pared, my Mide' brother 



Tabulated Analysis of 90 Mlde' Songs 
Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 

Major tonality 65 

Minor tonality 25 



90 



Catahujue iniiiihrrs of songs 



Major tonality. —m, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 
39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 
73, 78, 79, 122, 123, 127, 128, 129, 130, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 197, 199, 237, 
238, 240, 241, 242, 253, 254. Total, 65. 
Minor tonality.— 27, 34, 35, 36, 45, 47, 52, 53, 54, 57, 60, 61, 70, 71, 80, 124, 125, 126, 
192, 195, 200, 236, 239, 248, 256. Total, 25. 
Total number of songs, 90. 



116 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



TONE MATERIAL 



Fourth five-toned scale 18 

Second five-toned scale 11 

Major triad and sixth 19 

Major triad, sixth and fourth 2 

Minor triad 1 

Minor triad and fourth 2 

Octave complete 3 



Octave complete, except sixth 2 

Octave complete, except seventh. . . 10 

Other combinations of tones 19 

In two keys 3 



Total. 



90 



Catalogue, numbers nf songs 

Fourth five-toned scale.— W, 21, 22, 24, 41, 48, 52, 53, 59, 79, 189, 190, 192, 193, 237, 

238, 241, 242. Total, 18. 
Second five-toned scale.— 34, 35, 45, 46, 53, 124, 197, 236, 239, 248, 254. Total, 11. 
Major triad and sixth.— 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 39, 42, 122, 129, 

130, 191, 240. Total, 19. 
Major triad, fourth, and sixth. — 127, 128. 
Minor triad only. — 27. 
Minor triad and fourth. — 61, 62. 
Octave complete. — 56, 64, 73. 
Octave complete, except sixth. — 71, 126. 

Octave complete, except seventh.— 37, 38, 44, 46, 50, 58, 66, 67, 255, 256. Total, 10. 
Other combinations of tones.— 30, 36, 40, 43, 49, 51, 54, 55, 57, 60, 65, 69, 73, 78, 80, 

123, 195, 199, 200, 253. Total, 19. 
In two keys.— 70, 125, 194. 
Total number of songs, 90. 



BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



On the twelfth 33 

On the fifth (compass less than a 

twelfth) 29 

On the ninth 5 

On the second (compass less than a 

ninth) 5 

On the octave 11 



On the seventh. 

On the sixth 

On the fourth . . , 
In two keys 



Total 90 



Catalogue numbers of songs 

On the twelfth.— 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 
54, 55, 66, 69, 71, 80, 122, 189, 190, 237, 238, 240, 241, 242. Total, 33. 

On the fifth.— 30, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 73, 78, 79, 
80, 123, 126, 127, 129, 130, 197, 255. Total, 29. 

On the ninth.— 192, 195, 199, 200, 253. Total, 5. 

On the second.— 36, 40, 59, 65, 194. Total, 5. 

On the octave.— 34, 35, 49, 58, 64, 124, 191, 236, 239, 248, 254. Total, 11. 

On the seventh. — 45, 56. 

On the sixth.— 193. 

On the fourth. — 57. 

In two keys. — 70, 125, 256. 
Total number of songs, 90. 

ENDINGS OF SONGS 

On the tonic 56 i On the third 10 

On the fifth 21 | In two keys 3 

Total number of songs, 90. 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



117 



Catalogue numbers of songs 

On the tonic.—U, 17, IS, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 
41, 42, 43, 45, 51, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 61, 63, 64, 66, 67, 71, 79, 80, 122, 123, 124, 126, 
189, 190, 191, 192, 195, 197, 236, 237, 239, 240, 241, 242, 248, 254. Total, 56. 
On the fifth.— 34, 37, 39, 40, 44, 49, 54, 59, 60, 62, 65, 73, 127, 128, 129, 130, 199, 200, 

253, 255, 256. Total, 21. 
On the third.— 36, 46, 47, 48, 50, 52, 69, 78, 193, 238. Total, 10. 
In two keys.— 70, 125, 194. 
Total number of songs, 90. 

ACCIDENTALS 

Songs containing no accidentals 73 

Songs containing accidentals 14 

In two keys 3 

90 

Table of accidentals, showing catalogue numbers 



Accidental. 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue 
numbers. 



Si.xth lowered a semitone . . 
Second lowered a semitone . 
Third lowered a semitone . . 
Fourth lowered a semitone. 
Fifth lowered a semitone. . . 
Seventh raised a semitone . . 

Sixth raised a semitone 

Fourth raised a semitone . . , 



Total . 



■3,79,197,253 

51,56,80 

17,18 

50 

256 

71 

195 

66 



FIRST PROGRESSION 



First progression upward 

First progression downward . 



7 
83 



90 

Catalogue numbers of songs with first progression upward. — 54, 59, 78, 80, 194, 197, 248. 
Total, 7. 

Rhythmic Analysis 

Songs beginning on the accented portion of the measure 23 

Songs beginning on the unaccented portion of the measiu'e 26 

Songs transcrilied in melody outline 41 

90 

Metric unit of voice and drum the same 6 

Metric unit of voice and drum different 23 

Recorded without drum 61 



Catalogue numbers of songs in trhich metric unit of voice and drum is the same. 
238, 239, 248, 256. Total, 6. 



90 
-71, 122, 



118 BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bill. 48 

Catalogue numbers of songs in which metric unit of voice arid drum is different.- — 52, 53, 

61, 123, 124, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 197, 199, 200, 236, 237, 240 241, 242, 

253, 254, 255. Total, 23. 
Catalogue numbers of songs beginning on the accented portion of the measure. — 39, 52, 54, 

55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 65, 69, 71, 73, 191, 192, 199, 238, 239, 240, 242, 248, 253, 256. 

Total, 23. 
Catalogue numbers of songs beginning on the unaccented portion of the measure.— \A, 53, 

58, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 78, 79, 83, 122, 123, 124, 189, 190, 194, 195, 197, 200, 

236, 237, 241, 255. Total, 26. 

Structural Analysis 

Melodic 70 

Harmonic 20 



90 



Catalogue numbers of songs 



Melodic— 1(3, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 
47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 73, 78, 
79, 80, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 189, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 197, 199, 200, 
236, 237, 238, 239, 248, 253, 255, 256. Total, 70. 

Harmonic.— 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42, 52, 53, 69, 122, 123, 191, 240, 241, 
242, 254. Total, 20. 
Total number of songs, 90. 

SOCIAL SONGS ON WHITE EARTH AND LEECH LAKE 

RESERVATIONS 

Ina'bitNDJIGAN NAGUMO'WIN (DrEAM SoNGS) 

The songs in this group are not composed in the usual sense of the 
term, but are songs which are said to have come to the mind of the 
Indian when he was in a dream or trance. Many Indian songs are 
intended to exert a strong mental influence, and dream songs are 
supposed to have this power in greater degree than any others. The 
supernatural is very real to the Indian. He puts himself in com- 
munication with it by fasting or by physical suffering. While his 
body is thus subordinated to the mind a song occurs to him. In 
after years he believes that by singing this song he can recall the 
condition under which it came to him — a condition of direct com- 
munication with the supernatural. It is said that no drum is used 
at this time, the drum being added when the song is rehearsed and 
sung afterward. 

These dream songs are considered under three divisions: First, 
songs of the doctor; second, song of the juggler; and, third, songs 
which were composed during periods of fasting or of mental stress 
and were used later as war songs or in other connections. The songs 
of each division are preceded by an explanation of the circumstances 
under which they were composed or sung. 



DENS.MORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 119 

1 . SOXfJS OF THE DOCTOR 

The Chippewa word dja'sak'ul is apphed to two chxsses of peo- 
ple — doctors and jugglers. It is dilhcult for us to recognize the 
relation between these two, for we are accustomed to regard medicine 
as a science and jugglery as an imposition, but to the Indian mind 
both are direct demonstrations of supernatural power received and 
maintained by means of dreams or trances. For that reason it is 
natural that the same word should be applied to each." 

The songs of a Chippewa doctor can not be bought or sold. Each 
man must bear liis own pain or endure his o^\^l fasting if he would ac- 
quire power over pain in others. Sympathy and aUection were A^ery 
real in the Indian wigwams. Definite knowledge of means for curing 
the sick was very scanty, and in pathetic helplessness the Indian 
turned to the supernatural for help. The methods used in the treat- 
ment of the sick are repellent. For that reason it is good that w^e 
firct consider the element of poetry wliich underlay the best attempts 
of the old-school Indian doctors to relieve the suffering of their 
friends. 

The fasts wliich w^ere practised by the Chippewa doctors usually 
lasted ten days, the time being spent on a mountain or a great rock, 
or in a tree. A doctor frequently built a kind of nest to which he 
retired and whither he believed the manido' came to give him the 
power to do his work. 

The Chippewa doctor treats the sick by singing, shaking his rattle, 
passing his hands over the body of the patient, and apparently swal- 
lowang one or more bones, which are afterward removed from his 
mouth. Each of these phases is considered indispensable to the treat- 
ment. The rattle commonly used is shoum in plate 1. It is made of 
deer hide stretched over a wooden hoop and is 9^ inches in diameter 
and one-half inch in thickness, and contains two or three small shot. 

The manner of holding the rattle is shown in plate 2. The dis- 
coloration on the front of the rattle and a small hole on the back are 
indications of its being used in this position. The hole on the back 
is exactly where the deerskin would be pressed by the second finger. 
This hole has been roughly patched. The rattle was procured from 
O'deni'gun, a man said to be especially sldlled in the use of medicine, 
who sang the Songs connected with Rare Medicines, in the present 
series (see p. 90), 

oThesongsof the Chippewa doctor wore rt^corded by Maiii'ilns ("liltlc wolf ''), the younger, a man of 
middle age. .whose feet were frozen when he was a lad, and who walks on his knees. He related lo the 
writer the story of his experience at the time his feet were frozen. Accompanied by his grandparents he 
started to walk from one village to another, but a heavj' snowstorm and intense cold overtook the little 
party. His grandparents finally perished of cold and starvation, but he found his way to the village 
with })Oth feet frozen. Years of suffering followed. When the pain was most severe these songs. 
Main ilns said, one after another, " rang in his head.'' He spoke of the condition of intense pain as a 
dream condition, implying that the intensity of the pain produced a state bordering on tmconsciousness. 
He said that years afterward he became a doctor and these songs were his special " medicine songs" in 
c.ring the sick. 



120 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

Two of the bo-nes which are supposed to be swallowed are here 
shown (fig. S); these are 2^ inches long and about one-half inch in 
diameter. The texture of these bones indicates that they are very 
old. They were procured by the writer from a man on the White 
Earth reservation who had been a doctor for many years but had given 
up the practice. His well-worn rattle was also purchased, but this is 
not shown in the illustration. On another reservation the writer was 
shown a string of ten or twelve bones which the owner said he repeat- 
edly swallowed in his cures of the sick. Large numbers of bones 
are often "swallowed," each doctor having a collection of bones for 
the purpose; a number of these are frequently worn on a string around 
his neck. 

The sick person lies on the ground, the doctor kneeling at his right 
side. (Sec pi. 10.) The doctor holds his rattle in his right hand and at 




Fig. 8. Bon«s used by Chippewa doctor in treating the sick. 

his left hand is a pan or bowl of water in which lie the bones to be 
swallowed. The doctor opens his mouth, protrudes his tongue, places 
the moistened bone on it, and "swallows" it quickl}^ After shaking 
the rattle a while he "swallows" another of the bones; usually this 
procedure is continued until four or five bones have been disposed of in 
this manner. One doctor stated that the bones lodge in the chest near 
the shoulder. It is also said that there is a spirit inside the doctor 
which takes the bones. 

After "swallowing" the bones the doctor strikes his breast with the 
rattle; then he leans over the sick person and strikes his back between 
the shoulders with the rattle. It is claimed that this enables him to 
see where the disease is located in the patient. 

In giving the following three songs MaiiVans stated that he always 
sang the first song after he had looked at the sick; person and decided 
that he could help him. Afterward he sang the other two songs. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



BULLETIN 45 PLATE 10 




CHIPPEWA DOCTOR TREATING THE SICK 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 108. Doctor's Song 



121 

(Catalogue no. 244) 



Voice J = 76 

Drum J 126 

( Drum-rhythm .similar to No. 1 ) 



± fi V\ 



m^: 






Meu-we -we - a - ci - yan a^klfi ge meu-we-we-a - ci 




yau a-kifi 



ge 



ke - dan-dji - ka - ba-we-yan a-kln gc 



^ ^m ^ 



t^ESSS 



Spg; 



a: 



-^ 



:4=La 



W=P^ 



Jt^±3t 



I 



we -we-a-ci - yau a-kin g^emeu-we-we 



ci-Y"u r.-kln re 



WORDS 

Mfinwe'wea'ciyan' I am pinging and dreaming in my poor way 

Akin' Over the earth 

Kedan'djikaba'weyan^ I who will again disembark 

Akin' Upon the earth 

Analysis. — This sono; was extremely difficult of transcription. When 
at last the transcription was made it was found that the four renditions 
of the song were identical except in one or two unimportant measures. 
The accitlental in the first measure was given in all the renditions 
with good intonation. The metric unit is very slow but is clearly 
given; the measure accent however is very slight. The rhythmic 
feeling throughout the song is for the single count rather than for any 
grouping of counts. 

No. 109. "T Go TO THE Big Bear's Lodge" (Catalogue no. 245) 

Voice J= 108 
Drum J= 132 

(Drum-rliythm similar to No. 1) 



Sii 



-I — u~ 



=F-!^-E? 



U=:tt=: 






Ki-lci-mak-wa he wT - gl-wam e 



bi- ?ua-bi - t 



iu- di-ee 



WORDS 

Ki'tcimak'wa The big bear 

Wr'giwam^ To hi.s lodge 

Babin'dige' I go often 



122 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



Tbull. 45 



Narrative— Beinre beginning this song Maiii'ans said, " In my dream I went to the 
big bear's lodge and he tohl me what to do. He told me how to swallow the bones 
and I often go back to his lodge that I may learn from him again. This is what I say 
in this song which I made up myself. Every dja'sakid has his own animal which he 
Bees in a dream and he learns from this animal what he shall do for the sick person." 

Analysis.— This sono; is so short that the })lionograph cyhnder con- 
tains nine renditions of it. The transcription is made from the most 
regular rendition, but the intonation is f auky. The singer found much 
difficult}^ in starting the song on the octave, owing probably to the 
presence of the tenth so near the beginning of the song. The tenth 
is a particularly hard interval to grasj). The rhythm is regularly main- 
tained, especially the rliythmic unit which consists of the dotted 
quarter or quarter notes preceded by eighths. The subdivision of 
the third measure shows some indecision; the rhythmic unit has been 
clearly given out, and the interest lapses slightly until the rhythmic 
unit again asserts itself. 



No. 110. "Going Around the World" (Catalogue no. 246) 

Voice J = 72 

Drum J - 138 

(Drura-rhythni similar to No. 1) 




Ka - wi-ta-kfun-i - gic - ka - man a-ki we mi- dwe-kCini-i - glc- 




ka - man a - ki we ka - wi - ta -kfim-i 






nc-ka - man a-ki ive 



^- 



y- p w- 



mi - dwe - kum-i 



l=" P=i* i^=^=^[l-1 



=M4 

Cfic - ka - man a-ki 



t~ 



-I— 






'4=^ 



3=i^=:± 



• — « — •- 



-<Si-r- 



mi - dwe - kum - i 



gic 



ka - man a-ki we 



;a 



WORDS 

Ka'wita^kiimi'gickaman' I am going around 

Aki' The world 

Midwe'kumi't;ickaman' I am going through 

Aki' The world 



DExsMonE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 123 

Anolysi.'i. — The chief rhytlimic phrase of this son^; is short, clearlv 
marked, and freqiientl}' repeated. It is comprised in the second and 
third measures of the sonir. This recurrint^ ])hrase is easily traced 
and is always <i;iven in exact time. The intervenini]^ measures are in 
less reijular time, the words somewhat resemhling metric speech and 
the note values varying accordingly. They are, however, indicated as 
correctly as possible. The use of an accented sixteenth note before 
a dotted eighth note is not common in the White Earth songs, but 
was frequently found in the songs collected at Red Lake. This song 
is melodic in structure, beginning on the sixth and ending on the 
third of the fourth five-toned scale. 

2. SONG OF THE JUGGLER 

The supernatural power of the Chippewa doctor is shown by the 
recovery of his patient; the supernatural power of the Chippew^a 
juggler is shown by a performance which is universal throughout the 
tribe. In this performance the juggler frees himself from the tightest 
cords, causes his lodge to sway as though blown by a tempest, and 
summons the spirits of wild animals whose voices are heard by the, 
spectators. The accounts of these performances are authentic, but 
the ability to perform the feat has never been explained. 

The following description of a juggler's performance was given in 
connection with the song, the narrator stating that he had seen the 
performance by Ce'deens' and had heard him sing the song at that 
time. 

The preparations were as follows: Eight poles were placed upright 
in the ground. These poles were 12 to 14 feet high. They were sunk 
in the ground 2 or 3 feet and were placed about 2 feet apart. They 
were bound together by hoops, eight of which were fastened around 
the poles at intervals. After the completion of this framework 
Ce'deens' sang this song. Then he w^as bound with ropes made 
of the inner bark of the basswood tree, his hands were tied behind 
him, his feet were tied, a large stone was placed on his chest, and 
he was bound around with stout gill nets, so that he was "like a 
ball." Four men carried him eight times around the circle of poles 
and then threw him inside the inclosure. One of the four men then 
called, "Come, ye people of the sky, come and smoke." In a few 
moments the poles began to shake; the whole structure rocked 
and swayed as though a tornado were ])lowing; yet there was no 
wind and the sky was cloudless. Soon a voice was heard. The 
voice said, "Who is tying up my grandchild? I am going to break 
those ropes and throw them over where you are sitting." 

The people seated on the ground, watching the ])erformance, heard 
the voice, and in a few moments they saw the roi)es coming through 
the ail-. These fell near the people, who hastened to examine them 



124 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 45 

and found that they were indeed the ropes with which the juggler had 
been bound and that the knots in them were not untied. The ropes 
had been shpped from the juggler's bod}^ and he was free. 

The writer was recently informed by a reliable Indian that his uncle 
was accustomed to ])erform this feat in the old days, and that after his 
uncle joined the Christian Church he asked him to explain how he did 
it. The old man replied that he could not explain it, as he was an 
entirely different being at that time. His manido' animals were the 
bear and the snake, and the Indian stated that, as nearly as he could 
make out, his uncle seemed to imagine himself a snake when giving 
this exhibition. Two intelligent Indians have given it as their opinion 
that the juggler imagines himself to be some animal supple and lithe 
enough to work itself free from the cords, and that this imagination, 
or mental concept, is so strong that the body responds and does what 
would be impossible at any other time. It has been frequently sug- 
gested that the spectators are hypnotized and imagine they see what 
they do not see. The foregoing exi)lanation suggests that the hyp- 
notic influence is exerted by the juggler on his own body. Music 
is considered indispensable to the performance of this feat. 

The Indian stated that he had seen the lodge bend like a sapling, 
so that the top almost touched the ground, wlien his uncle was giving 
one of these demonstrations. Afterward three men entered the 
structure. One stood on the ground, one climbed halfway to the 
top, and one to the very top. These men tried with all their strength 
to sway the structure, but could not move it in the slightest degree. 

A juggler's performance on the Grand Portage reservation was 
described to the writer by an eyewitness, who said that "a friend 
who lived many miles away was suddenly present in the lodge" 
and that she "heard his voice distinctly." There were also many 
wild animals in the lodge whose voices she recognized. Spectators 
are not allowed to enter the lodge, but they hear these voices as 
they stand outside. 

This account shows the association of music and mental influence, 
which was also mentioned in connection with the medicine songs of 
the Mide'wlwin. 

These performances were often given at the time of Mide' ceremo- 
nies, but wxre not directly connected with them. As stated else- 
where, the jugglers were not always members of the Mlde'wiwin, 

Attempts were made at times' to counterfeit the performances of 
the jugglers. The following incident was related to the writer: 

There was a man who pretended to be a juggler, but the Indians knew that he was 
a fraud. This man said that he liked to have the lodge built on the shore of the 
water when he gave an exhibition. That was because it would sway easier if the 
poles were stuck in soft sand. Once this man was giving an exhibition and he 
climbed up inside the lodge to shake it. Of course he had to do this because he was 
not a regular juggler and did not know how to do it right. He was almost at the top 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



125 



and was swaying it batk and forth when some boys pulled up the poles and threw the 
man and his lodge far into the water. No one paid any attention to the man after 

that. 

(Catalogue no. 213) 

No. 111. The Song of Ce'deens' (Juggler's Song) 

Sung by GaV.andac' (" one whose sails are driven by the wind ") 



Voice J:^ 120 
Dkum J =126 



\± 



i_i 



:£^ ^— r-£ '-rTE=F -f— f 



i=^Eii 



"^^ 


-f9- 






— •— 


— 1 — 


-?=r:- 


-F= 


— 1 


~ff—^ 


-•— 

— 1 


— # 


hS2_: 




^ 








=F- 






-h- 


- 1 i - 


4- 


=t= 





^ 



i=i=r:=?=r=-- 



f=t=t=£ 



H» n f»- 



-d—^—si- 




Ka-be-bln-de - ge no- sis a ki - wi - gi-wam-in 



^ 



# — ^ 



-^ (2- 






Drum-rhythm 
Drum J= 126 



^ 



:^ — sr 



J^— =r 



I'^etc. 



Kabebin^dige' I have gone 

No'sTs My grandchild 

Kiwi'giwam'in Into your lodge 

Analysis. — This sono; was sun"; three times and in each rendition 
the sixth was lowered a semitone in the first measure and a smaller 
interval in the remaining i)ortion of the song. The second of the 
measures containing the words was sung slower to permit the enunci- 
ation of the syllables; otherwise the rhythm of the voice was steadily 
maintained. The drum was silent when the words were sung. 



126 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



Lbull. 45 



3. DREAM SONGS AFTERWARD USED AS WAR SONGS OR OTHERWISE 

Like the other dream songs, these were said to liave been composed 
during a dream or on waking from a dream. Many of them are asso- 
ciated with some animal which becomes the manido' of the dreamer. 
The words of many of these songs suggest that the dreamer contem- 
phites nature in a certain aspect so long and so steadily that he 
gradually loses his own personality and identifies himself with it. In 
other instances he imagines that animals or objects in nature are sing- 
ing and that he learns their songs. It has not been definitely ascer- 
tained whether the singer imagines he repeats the melody or only the 
words of such songs. 

All the dream songs are supposed to be sjwntaneous melodies, and 
therein lies their chief importance in connection with the analytical 
study of Indian music. 

No. 112. Song of the Trees (Catalogue no. 206) 

Sung by Ga^gandac^ 

Voice J= 100 
Drum J =120 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 

3 




r=^ 



i-E 



m 



No-dlu e - ta nin-go-tan 



ii=s^^^^ 






ife=P= 



mw 



;2: 



43t=: 



3^= 



-s^- 



I 



Nodin' The wind 

E'ta Only 

Ningotan^ I am afraid of 

Narrathe.— The following explanation of this song was given by Main^ans: The song 
belonged to a certain man who sang it in the dances which were held before going to 
war. When this man was a boy he had a dream and in his dream he heard the trees 



DEXSMOUE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



127 



singing a?* though they were alive; they sang that the>y were afraid of nothing except 
being blown down by the wind. ^\ hen the boy awoke he made up this song, in which 
he repeats what he heard the trees say. The true meaning of the words is that there ia 
no more chance of his being defeated on the warpath than there is that a tree will be 
blown down by the wind. 

Analysis. — The rlwthm of this sono; is energetic, vivifying, and 
full of action. The rhythmic unit is short and easily recognized, con- 
sisting of a measure in triple time followed by a measure in double 
time. The song was sung five times, the renditions being identical 
in every respect. The rhythms of voice and drum are greatly at 
variance, but each is steadily maintained. The harmonic structure 
is evident and consists of a major triad in the upper and in the lower 
octave with the sixth as a connecting tone. 

No. 113. SOXG OF THE Thunders (Catalogue no. 207) 
Sung by Ga'gandac^ 
Voice J^ 120 
Dru.m J- 120 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 



^^. 



^- -ft- 4t- 
4 - 



4r_ 




^— p- 



■/s. 




Na - nln - so - di - uunk 



i we uin - ba - ba - ca- wen - 



^^^gi^ 



dan ni - yau 




ba - ba - ma - ci 



yan 



n - CIS - 



m 



5^=F= 



;ii 



WORDS 

Na''ningoMinunk^ Sometimes 

Ninbaba^cawen'dan I go about pitying 

Niyau' Myself 

Baba^maciyan' While I am carried by the wind. 

Gicigun' Across the sky 



128 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



This sono; forms an example of the strange personation which char- 
acterizes many of the dream songs. In this the singer contemphites 
the storm mystery of the sky until he feels himself a part of it and 
sings its song. 

Analysis. — This song is divided into two parts. The first contains 
only vowel syllables and consists of nine measures, in which the 
rhythmic unit occurs twice. This unit is comprised in the first three 
measures. The second part of the song contains the words. This 
part of the song constitutes a rhythmic unit in itself. Attention is 
directed to the harmonic character of the song, although the melody 
moves with great freedom. 



No. 114. "My Voice is Heard" (Catalogue no. 208) 

Sung by Ga^gandac^ 



Voice J =112 

Drum J =116 

(Drum-rliythiii similar to No. Ill) 



=§iitr 






4= :[=-— "-T-£; 



l== ^-rf-rf^ 



:s 






f f ^•--"•- 


-G>- 


r V- r 


-•-t,8 

^^- 0-0 


p • 


-R- l7-fc^ -^ \s0^ 




— i ' ■( — 


-u—^ — P— r J— 


-T b— 


-^ w^ — 






- '*^ — ^ — 


-1 ^^- 


^ \> 











fZ ^_ 



f: 



^^«E« 



^± 



£^_^>! 



3^ 



-ff — ^ 



^ ^ S-. — F 



Mi - si - we a - kin e niu-de - bwe-wi- dfim 










S 



;0 



densmokk] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



129 



Misiwe' All over 

Akiii The world 

NinMebwe'widGm^ My voice resounds 

In this song, as in the preceding, the singer contemphites the 
storm. He hears the reverberation of the thunder and in his dream 
or trance he composes a song concerning it. 

Analysis. — This song is definitely major in tonahty and was sung 
in exact time throughout. The metric unit of the dnmi is sHghtly 
faster than that of the voice and ])roduces an effect of hurrying the 
voice. The lowered sixth occurs as an accidental. It is impossible 
to indicate the exact deviations from pitch and the i)eculiar porta- 
mento of voice used in this song, but the manner of the rendition 
strongly suggests that they are used to heighten the effect and do 
not form an actual ])art of the song. 



No. 115. "The Approach of the Storm 

Sung by Ga^gandac' 

Voice J= 112 
Drum J- 116 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



(Catalogue no. 209) 




A- bi 



3 



gwen ka - bi - de - bwe-wi-dun 



tfi gi - cig-ufi e - bi 



Abitd' From the half 

GiciguiV Of the sky 

Ebigw6n' That which lives there 

Kabide'bwewiduiV Is coming, and makes a noise 

The Thunder manido' represents to the Indian the mysterious 
spirit of the storm, and he imagines that this manido' sometimes 
makes a noise to warn him of its approach. This is his interpreta- 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 9 



130 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

tion of the distant thunder which precedes a storm. Hearing this, 
the Indian hastens to put tobacco on the fire in order that the smoke 
may ascend as an offering or signal of peace to the manido'. The 
idea which underhes the song is, ''That which lives in the sky is 
coming and, being friendly, it makes a noise to let me know of its 
approach." This means much less to the white race than to the 
Indian. We are accustomed to noise; the Indian habitually ap- 
proaches in silence, unless he wishes to announce his presence.'* 

Analysis. — This song is harmonic in structure and contains the 
tones of the fourth five-toned scale. More than a year before the 
making of this record the same song was secured from a younger 
singer. On comparing the two records it is found that they differ 
much less in rhythm than in melodic progressions. The younger 
singer used exactly the same tones, but in some parts of the song lie 
used the intervals in a slightly different order. The characteristic 
rhythm is identical in the two records. 

No. 116. "As THE Hawk wSoars" (Catalogue ho. 210) 

Sung by Ga'gandac^ 

The second word in this song suggests to the Chip})ewa the course 
of a bird wliich flies forward a short distance, then circles, antl then 
flies forward again. The Chippewa thought tliat the hawks were 
halfway to the top of the sky because they flew so high, and tliis 
song was pr()bal)ly inspired by the sight of a flock of hawks flying 
and circling high overhead. 

Analysis. — The harmonic structure of this song divides it into two 
parts, the first based on the minor triad with the minor seventh'' 
added, and the second on the tonic triad and sixth. The tones of 
the first chord are repeated during fourteen measures, the F sharp 
sinking to E on the fifteenth measure. This introduces the tonic 
chord in the key of A, and the latter part of the song is composed 
of the tones of the tonic triad and sixth in the key of A. The first 
part of the song suggests the close attention with which one follows 
moving objects; the satisfying resultant chord and the free melody 
with its even rhythm suggest the return of the singer's attention to 
his song and to his more immediate surroundings. 

a The Indian who composed this song is now a clergyman of tlie Episcopal Churcli, Rev. George Smith. 
Wlien he was a little boy lie often painted his face and fasted five days because he wanted to I,c a "spirit 
man; " when he was 15 or 16 years of age he composrd this song in his dream. The preparation for his 
life work was according to the native customs, but he is doing that work in the white man's way. 

'' I'rof. J. C. Fillmore found this tonality among the Dahomey songs collected at the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition at Chicago and Mr. 11. E. Krehbiel (in a paper read before the Folk-lore Congress, July, 
1894) cited similar instances among the songs of the American negroes. Professor Fillnwe recorded a 
similar song from the Nass River Indians living in British Columljia. This tonality is found also in the 
following songs of the present series: nos. 51, 110, 127, 172. 



DENSM(>i;i:l 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



181 



A coiTespondence between the idea of a song and its melody or its 
rhythm can not be taken too literally or pushed too far. Music can 
not imitate a scene in nature or express a mental concept, yet either 
may inspire a song. Under such circumstances the song may reflect 
in some degree the source of its inspiration, yet it would be impossi- 
ble, in an}^ instance, to infer that source from the character of the 
song. 

Five renditions of this song were secured, the only variations being 
in the first part; the harmonic material remained the same, but the 
order of progressions differed slightly. The second part was iden- 
tical in all the renditions. 

Voice J. : 112 
Drum J : 126 
( Dnua-rhylhin similar to No. Ill ) 




Sii^i 






m 



±-'=t 



i-J+ • •— — • r -7, 'S'-^- 



i; 



^^ 



A - bi - ta 



- wi - Sfl - ci 



&* ^^r> 



bi- 



T- 



iiii-kwe-kwe - ki - ka - ba - wi - yaii 



m^ 



■ifc^^; 



T—0^ 



r-^:1=:1: 



zttJizMz 



^-^ pr- 



:t=t: 






^—4-- ^ 



-s<— 



m 



14 measures. 



ANALYSIS 

1 measure. 2 measui-es. 3 measures. 




Abita^wiRi^cig Halfway up the sky 

Bimikwe^kwekika'bawiyan' I am flying 



132 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [miLL. 45 

No. 117. "In the Southern Sky" (Catalogue no. 2 u) 
Sung by Ga'gandac'' 



Voice J -112 
Drum J = 116 
(Drum-rhythm shuilar to No. Ill ) 



m^^3^^^^m^2mm i 



gggjg 



£.* 



^ 



:£f: 



M^^m^^^^^ 




ca-wftn - u - bi- 



^^ 



^. 



Wz 



4=E: 



ipH-^- 



I 



yan 



Ajig^wa Already 

Gi'ciguiV In the sky 

Cawun'ubiyan' I am sitting in the south 

Analysis. — In harmonic structure this song is similar to the 
preceding, the first fourteen measures being based on the tones 
of the minor triad with the minor seventh added, the sixteenth 
measure containing lower E, the remainder of the song being com- 
posed of the tones of the tonic triad. The last part of the song is 
simpler than that of the preceding song, but the general character is 
the same. It may be possible that both songs were composed by 
the same man, this coming first in the order of composition. In this, 
as in the preceding song, the last part was always sung in exact time. 

No. 118. ''Manido' Listens to Me" (Catalogue no. 212) 

Sung by Ga^gandac^ 

Analysis. — This melody contains only the tones of the major triad 
and sixth. The song was sung twice, the second rendition beginning 
on the last count of the fourth measure, suggesting that the first 
measures are an introduction. The custom of using an introduction 
to the first rendition of a song has already been mentioned. In this 
introduction the singer is allowed considerable freedom. 



dkxsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



133 



The meanino; implied in the (Miipj>e\va words is (hat the manido' 
who Hstens will iJ^rant all requests of the singer. 



Voice 



112 



Drum Jr=^120 

( Druoi-rhylhm similar to No. Ill ) 




I^E^^BrEf^E 






gg^^gJJE 



*^^ 



iS^S 




WORDS 

Nin To me 

Bisin'dag He listens 

Be^cig One 

Manido' Sj^irit 



No. 119. Song of the Crows (Catalogue no. 260) 

Sung by Henry Selkirk 

Narrative. — The following explanation of the song was given by the singer: 
A young man was fasting where his father had taken him. It was in the fall, and 
the flocks of crows were getting ready to go south. The young man heard the crows 
in the trees and imagined that he learned this song from them. Afterward the crow 
was his manido' because it had given him power to understand the language of the 
crows. The words of the song mean that the crows are the first birds to come in the 
spring, and bo the old-time Indians thought that the crows brought the spring rains. 
This was first a dream song and afterward it was used as a war dance. 



134 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Analysis. — This melody contains only llio tones of the fourth five- 
tonetl scale. Both melod}" and rh>'tlnn are of unusual simplicity. 



Voice J:= 108 

Drum J=r 116 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 




Be 



ba - 111 



hi 



Ilia - di - rrof; 



bi - 



a^J 



rczzt: 



iMzf: 



Az 



V^^P^ 



.F=' 



El 



lie - Si- wii;; 



uiu-wGii-dji- gi - mi - wfiu an- deg-niii - di - go 



WORDS 

Be^bani^gani' The first to come 

Nin^digog' I am called 

BinS^siwug^ Among the birds 

Nin^wendjigi^miwiifi' I bring the rain 

Andeg'nindigo' Crow is my name 

The two followins^ songs were not composed durinsi: dreams, but 
during great mental stress. They are classed with the dream songs 
because they are s]^ontaneous melodies, said to have s])rung from the 
lips of the singers without conscious cfToi't on their ])art. These 
songs were given by a particularly relial)le singer. 

No. 120. Song of the Deserted Warrior (Catalogue uo. 259) 

Sung by IIknry Selkirk 
Voice ^ . -: 60 

DruiM J~ 104 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 



E^^=F 



-F= 



~^=P -- 



==F 



4; 



Nin 



da 



tci 



dfim 



^^ 






-<2- 



-s>~ 






;0 



wa - ba - mi - nan tci - ma - dja - yfiu 



ya 



ya 



Nindagi'tcinisa^nendum' I would be very sorrowful 

Tciwa'ljamiium' To see you 

Tcima'djay Ca/ Go away 

Narratlvi. — About forty years ago the Chippewa were at war with the Sioux near 
Turtle mountain in North Dakota. The Chippewa were concealed in a cornfield 
ready to attack the Sioux when their aml)ush was discovered, and in the fight one of 



dexsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



135 



the Chippewa was shot through the breast. Tlie man's name was N(/dinuk'\vum, 
which means Wind-Thunder. Ills friends attempted to carry him with them, Init it 
seemed that he wouhl surely die, and their own lives were in danger; so they left 
him with his face painted and a feather in his hair, to die like a warrior. After they 
had left him they heard him singing this song. It was an entirely new tune and two 
of the men remembered it and sang it after they reached home. The song affected 
the men as no entreaty could have done. They rushed back, dragged the wounded 
man to the water's edge, lifted him into a canoe, and paddled away safely. The man 
recovered and now lives at Pine Point. The singer said that he recently saw the 
man and also the scar of the wound. 

Anah/sis. — The metric unit in this sonoj is the measure, not tlie iniU- 
vithial count in the measure. This unit is reguhir. The divisions of 
the measure are not always exact, l)ut are indicated as nearly as 
possible. The melody tones comprise the minor triad and sixth. 

No. 121. "I Am Afraid of the Owl" (Catalogue no. 261) 

Sung by Henry Selkirk 
Voice J= 152 
( Recorded without drum) 



E - ui - wek ka - ye 



wek 



ka - ye 



'^M= 



E^ 



-^- 



ko - ko - ko nin - £.'0 



ii 






ne - ]i 



^=t 



4z 



t=t=t: 



kc 



m 



wu - Li 




a be a nin 



be a 



WORDS 

Eniwek' Very much 

Gaye' Also 

Nin I 

Ko^okoo^ Oftheowl 

Ningosa' Am afraid 

NejikeVubianin' Whenever I am sitting alone in the 

wigwam 

Narrative. — The singer stated that he composed this song himself when he was a 
child. The cii-cumstances were as follows: His mother had gone to a neighbor's, 
leaving him alone in the wigwam. lie became very much afraid of the owl, which is 
the particular terror of all small Indians, and sang this song. It was just after sugar 
making and the wigwams were placed near together beside the lake. The people in 
the other wigwams heard his little song. The melody was entirely new and it attracted 
them so that they learned it as he sang. The men took it up and used it in their moc- 
casin games. For many years it was u.sed in this waj-, but lie was always given tho 
credit of its composition. 



136 



BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Analysis. — This sono; contains only tliree tones and may be said to 
consist of the minor third with the tone above as a preparatory tone. 
The chief rhythmic phrase is the quarter note followed by two eighths, 
a subdivision of a double measure which suggests fear. 

Dream Songs — ^yllite Earth Reservation 
Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 






Major tonality. 
Minor tonality . 



Total. 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



259,261 



TONE MATERIAL 



Fourth five-toned scale. 



Major triad and sixth 

Minor triad and fourth 

Other combinations of tones. 

Total 



8 


200, 207, 209, 210,211 , 244, 246 




200 


4 


212,213,245,259 


1 


201 


1 


208 



BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the twelfth. 
Beginning on the tenth... 
Beginning on the octave. . 
Beginning on the sixth. . . 
Beginning on the fourth.. 



Total. 



7 


206, 207, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213 


1 


244 


3 


245,259,200 


2 


208,246 


1 


261 


14 





ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic. 



Ending on the fifth.. 
Ending on the third. 



Total. 



14 



206, 207, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 

245, 2(i0, 2(il 
208 
244,240,259 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression downward. 

First progression upward 

Total 



200, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 

244,246,261 
213,245,259,200 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



137 



Melodic Analysis — Continued. 

ACCIDENTALS 





Number 
of songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 


Songs containing no accidentals 


11 

1 
1 


200, 207, 209, 210, 211, 212, 245, 




246,259,200,201 
213 




208 


Sixth raised a semitone 

Total 


1 


244 


14 









Rhythmic Analysis 





10 
4 




Beginning on unaccented portion of measure 


211, 212, 2.')9, 2(40 


Total 


14 










1 

1 

12 


207 




261 










Total 


14 









Structural Analysis 



Harmonic. 



Melodic 

Total. 



206, 207, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 

244 
208,245,246,259,200,201 



Miga'diwin'ixa'gumo'wix (War Songs) 

A wide range of material is included in this group. There are songs 
which have been used to incite war, songs of the warpath, songs con- 
cerning the brave deeds of warriors, and songs of the scalp dance. 
The border line between groups of songs is not absolute and all our 
classification must be regarded as general in character; thus there are 
war songs among the dream songs and there is a scalp dance among 
the "songs connected with special medicines." In these instances 
the writer has followed the Indian who made the phonograph record. 
Many songs are used in war dances. The following group ma}^ be 
considered, however, representative of the class. 

The drumbeat of the war dance is in even strokes; the drumbeat 
of the scalp dance is an accented stroke preceded by an unaccented 
stroke about one-third of its length. These are the ordinary rhythms 
but they may be varied by drummers of proficiency. 



138 



BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 122 (Catalogue no. 179) 

Sung by Aki^waizi' C'olt) man ") 



Voice J:^69 

Drum J=: 126 

(I)rum-rhytliin similar to No. 1) 




Anali/sis. — This song is based on the second five-toned scale of E 
flat, the harmonic divisions being the minor third E Ifat-G flat 
followed by the major third G flat-B fiat, the song closing with a 
return of tlie minor third E flat-G flat. 

The rhythm of the voice is plainly J =69, while the beat of the 
drum is in unaccented eighths, J = 126; if the drum were J = 1.38 we 
should have four drumbeats to one melody note, but repeated tests 
have failed to bring the two parts into this relation. The drum is 
plainly of a sliglitly dilTerent unit from that of the voice and persist- 
ently retains that unit. The tempo of the voice is unusually even 
in this sons:. 



No. 123 

Sung by Main^ans 



(Catalogue no. 182) 



mi 



Voice J — 76 
Recorded without drum 

_-tr_ -^- 



£ 



=£^u=sEEte 



P 



::\=^-'-t- 



-^- 



s^- 



H 



Analysis. — The princij^al intervals of progression in Chippewa 
songs are the intervals of the third and fourth. This song is very 
unusual in that its principal melodic feeling is for the interval of 
the second. The dominant of the key is unusually prominent. The 
third of the key does not occur in the song, yet the song is readily 
accompanied by the tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords of 
the key. The song contains seven measures and is an excellent ex- 
ample of the entire song constituting a rhythmic unit. Six rendi- 
tions appear on the phonograph cylinder. 



DENSMOItE] 



CinPPEWA MUSIC 



No. 124 
Sunji; by (ia^gandac' 
Voice J - 200 

Dkum J_ 112 

( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 

-;-> I I M i — 



.(2.. -0. -fSL. 






139 

(Catalogue no. 205) 






\A=L 



:5± 






# — ^ 



1 



-^- 



1^ 



f-n# 



i^ 








^^|:#EE^SI^e: 



a^^tas 



mm 



t-^- 



=s 






i^ 



^ 



This song is said to liave been used about forty-five years ago l)y 
Chippewa who were trying to incite the tribe to an attack on the white 
settlers. The attempt was misiiccessfiil and it is the pride of the 
Chippewa that they have never been at w^ar witli the white men. 

Analysis. — The chief interest of this song lies in the rhythm, the 
general effect of which is martial and inspiring; yet the measure- 
lengths are very uneven, producing a rhythm which is fascinating in 
its irregularity. This is an instance of a special rhythm used for a 
special purpose. The object of the song was to control the will and 
influence men to act against their wishes and judgment. In view of 
this fact the peculiar rhythm of this song is worthy of attention. 
The tempo is very rapid, adding to the effect of the rhythm. Further 
consideration of rhythm of this character is given in the chapter on 
Mide' Songs. , 

No. 1 25 (fataloguo no. 215) 

Siinp; by Ga'candac' 

Analysis. — This song is said to have been learned from the Sioux. 
Its harmonic structure is interesting. The song is in the key of 
D flat, the melody showing the octave complete exce])t the sca enth. 
The song is in two ])arts, each of which oj)ens with tlie cliord of the 
relative minor. This passes to the tonic major cliord b}- (he change 



140 



BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bI'll. 45 



from B flat to A flat. The foHowinti; section of eaeli ])art contains 
only the third F-A flat, with B flat as a bytone, yet the major chord 
of D flat is plainly implied. 



Voice J = 88 
])rum J =88 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1 ) 




ias==E£ 



•— r^ • 



m 



1 



n 



:^b^== rh — 1 ^ 



HARMONIC ANALYSIS 



6 measures 



5 measures 



o measures 



5 measures 



^ii<& 



M. 



I 



No. 126. Little Eagle's Song (Catalogue no. 229) 

Sung by Ga'gandac^ 

This is a song in honor of a warrior named Little Ea^le, who died 
about November ], 1907, at an advanced age. 

O'kitci'ta is a Sioux word. White Earth was the old battle ground 
of the two tribes and the word suggests that the song was composed 
by the Sioux, who do not grudge their tribute to a brave man, 
though he may be their enemy. 

Analysis. — The tones of this song are those of the second five- 
toned scale of F, with G as a passing tone. The unusual interest of 
the song lies in the E flat of the fourth measure, showing the interval 
of a whole tone between the seventh and eighth of a minor key. 
This is a characteristic of early English plain song. 

The rhythm of the voice is maintained quite steadily at J =72, 
while that of the drum is J =10,S, each stroke preceded by a short 
unaccented beat. It will be readily seen that this is in the ratio of 
two voice pulses to three drum pulses, but the stroke of the drum 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



141 



invariably follows the singmo; of the tone, and the voice and drum 
never coincide. This sono^ shows no descending; interval larger than 
a minor third, and the descent of the minor third occurs seven times 
in the melody. 

Voice J iii 72 

DuiM J : 108 

( Drum-rhytliin similar to No. Ill ) 

-P- ^- ^- -•^~r^ -*- ^ ^ 



±z=t= 



e i fi 

4:=P=L 



^- 



li^l 



«— ^— ^ 












-ki-tci- ta mi - fri-^ins 



^^-m 







O^kitci'ta Leader of the warriors 

Miglslns' Is Little Eagle 

No. 127 

Sunt,' by Ga^gandac'' 



(Catalogue no. 230) 



Voice J = 66 
Drum J - 80 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



t- i^ 






B^^4= 






t^ 



i^l^3 



©WFi^=F=f3r^ 



-^W 



• f»- 






p=P=?i^ 



--W^^—fZ- 



t-i 



:B 



HARMONIC ANALYSIS 

3 measures 3 measures 



B~ 



9i, 



-^' 



w 



I 



142 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[ lifLL. 45 



This song is said to have been learned from the Sioux. The 
melody is divided into two ])arts of three measures each. The first 
part contains the tones of the minor triad with the minor seventh 
added, the sixth being used only as a passing tone. This is a very 
primitive tonality. Among the songs of the Chippewa this tonality 
is sometimes found in ])art of a song, but the song usually merges 
into a diatonic chord before the close. (See songs nos. 116, 117, 172.) 

Five renditions of this song were recorded; these are identical 
except that the first measure occurs only in the first rendition. The 
harmonic i)eculiarity of this melody is best seen by jdaying the 
chords which form the two j)arts of the song, as given at the close of 
the transcription. 

No. 128. Song of the Loons (Catalogue no. 271) 
Sung by GA'TciTcua'cio ("skipping a day "J 
VOKK J - 96 
Drum J„ 116 
( Drum-rhylliiii similar to No. Ill) 



• ^ • « -P- -fi-'~T^ ^ ^ 




Ki-wi- 



-t 



m^^ 



~p—j-— 



^- 



p^p 



:L-=t= 



-^t=i 



ta - gi - clg ban ga - bi - Jies - i - mo - yan 



^SEf^ZSgi^g 



;E=£=E 



i=F: 



S3^B 



I 



Kiwitagi''cig Flying all around the sky 

Gabiufis'inioyan' The loons are suiging 

This is an old song, which was sung before starting on the war- 
path. The words refer to the Loon clan or totem which, according 
to William Warren, was very powerful among the Chippewa, even 
claiming to be the chief or royal clan. 

Analysis. — Harmonic in structure, this song follows the outline of 
the major triad in the upper and lower octaves with the sixth as a 
passing tone. This tone material is found in a large number of the 
songs under analysis and is that of the fourth five-toned scale, lack- 
ing the second. It is a form of tone material which appears transi- 
tional from the simple major triad to the complete five-toned scale. 
(See p. 63; also tabulated analysis, p. 9.) 



dexsmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



143 



No. 129. "I WILL Start before Noon" (Catalogue no. 276) 

Suii'j; l)v Ga'tcitcigi'cig 

i 
f ■ 

Drum J^ 100 

(Drum-rhythin similar to No. Ill) 




mm. 



=^.^3= 



I 



WORDS 

Tcinau'hwakwe,<i;' I will ytart on my journey before 

noon 
Tcibwa'wabunii^it,'oyan' Before I am seen 

The singer stated that he learned this song from his father, who 
was a warrior, and in the old days was often sent in advance of the 
war party as a scout. Before starting on such an exi)edition he sang 
this song. In singing it tli(> wortls were mis])ron()unced ; they contain 
many interpolated syllables. 

Analysis. — This song ])egins on a very liigli tone. It is liarnionic 
in structure and is a typical example of a simple song on the fourth 
five-toned scale. 

No. 130. Song of Cimau'gANIO (Catalo.i^me no. L'77) 

Huiiis; by Ga'tcitckji'cig 

In the old thiys it was customary for a woman to go out and meet 
a returning war party. If a seal]) had ])een taken she received it at 
the hand of the leader and danced in front of the war l)arty as it 
neared the camp, singing and waving the scalp. Tlie song under 
consideration concerns such an event as this. The singer stated that 
he had heard it sung by a woman on such an occasion. Sometimes 
several women went to me(^t the warriors, but one always preceded 
the others and received th(>, seal}). The return to the camp was 



144 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Voice J^ = 168 
(Recorded without drum) 



aiF 



t: 









S_¥: 



iilit4— p-^-^ — ^~-*- 



S: 






i^s 



Ci - mau-gau-ic gi - ni-ci-wed. 



Mi^^i^y^-^^J l ^ggj^^ ="-"^=^ 



^-- ^ 



f 



4:1- 






::&: 



^ 



?:: t= 



gjl^P^ B ^gg^llE^gE^iEi^^^ 



!S 



Ci - mau-gan-Ic gi - ni - ci-wed 






=P^P^=FP.^ 






4if: 



P— •- 



a:^^ 



Si^iliiglSi 



-^-^ 



^=t^ 



j=i=^:8 =-^= 1 



Ci-mau-gan-Tc gi - nt-ci-wed 



: gil§^sgi^jiteil i gg^g^g=E^ 



f- -•- 1- -•- « -•- 



-3^: 



t 



^S 



-t:^ 



i^ 



^ 



-f«-^ — ^■ 



t 






Ci- 






^S 



a*i 



mau-gan-ic gi - nt-ci-wed 






dknsmoue] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



145 



Cimau'ganic A man's name mcanini. 

Gini^shiwed' He killed in war 



■'soldier" 



always followed by a scalp dance. This was sometimes performed 
around a pile of presents. Each scalp was fastened to a hoop at the 
end of a pole, and anyone to whom this pole was handed was obliged 
to hold it aloft as he danced alone around the pile of gifts. This 
is an old song in which the name of Cimau'ganic was introduced in 
honor of his special bravery. 

Analysis. — In this instance the entire phonograph record is tran- 
scribed. It consists of four renditions of the song and clearly shows 
the points in which the renditions vary. In this respect it is the 
record of a musical performance as well as the record of a song. The 
singer imitated the manner in which he had heard a woman sing the 
song, the high notes being given in a falsetto voice but with good 
intonation. The division of the measures into five counts is not 
mechanically accurate throughout the record. In certain measures 
the note values correspond exactly to the metronome beat; in others 
they vary slightly, but the rhythmic feeling is still that of a five-part 
measure. This song is a very free musical expression and is of special 
value, both from its structure and from the occasion of its use. 

No. 131. "The Shifting Clouds " (Catalogue no. 114) 

Sung by A^gwitu'wigi'cig 
Voice J =126 
Recorded without drum 



mm 



-V- 



a 



IL 



:S^ 



^ 



-^-T-» 



:t=f:: 



m^ 



m 



A - ni - go - si - wa - qed 



ba - bi - kwa 



si - go kwe 



m&^ 



E^ 



*=k^ 




Ana^qud The shifting 

Ba^bikwa'sin ( "louds 

This is one of the war songs with which a social dance is usually 
opened. Most of the singers carry some object in the right hand — a 
small gun whittled from wood, a turkey- wing fan, a bow with arrows, 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 10 



146 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 45 



or even a war club with a wisp of hair danglino; in imitation of an 
enemy's scalp. With tliis they point as if to various objects, as an 
enemy at a distance or a footprint on the <2;round. Durino; this song 
the dancer would point to the clouds. 

Analysis. — This song is harmonic in structure. The irregularity of 
measure lengths is worthy of notice, as is the continuously descending 
trentl of the melody. 

No. 132. Scalp Dance (Catalogue no. lie) 

Sung V)y Gi^ciBANS^ ("little duck") 
Voice J- 168 
Recorded without drum 



^ ;2- 




piS"-— J 


-+- — i«^— 






-G>- 



Yo ho kwe a yo ho kwe a 




yo ho kwe a 
+ 





e-kwa-wug en 


do - 


bi -og 


yo 


ho kwe 


a 

-•- 


yo ho kwe 

^ . -0- 


a 

-G>- 


i^i: 


-^ L— ^- 




— 1 


i m 


-| 


-V F— ^- 


\- : 




L-i 1 




■ 




B-rZ 






yo 



ho kwe a 



yo 



ho kioe a 



yo 



^i 



-,_ -#- ^- -^ .,.. 



^ 



t-d-^J 



ho kwe a 



^mi 



[Az 



e-kwa-w<ig en - do - bi - os 



yo ho kwe a 



yo ho kwe a 



EkwawOg' The women 

En^obiog^ Are enjoying it with us 

Analysis. — This was sung by an old woman whose voice was 
about the same register and quality as a man's. A point of interest 
in this song is that the last tone is approached by an upward pro- 
gression. The rhythmic unit is short and frequently repeated. 

War Songs — White Earth Reservation 
Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



Major tonality 
Minor tonality 

Total . . . 



114, 182,215,271,276 
116, 179,205,229,230,277 



UEN smoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



147 



Melodic Analysis — ('untiiiucd. 
TONE MATERIAL 



Fourth five-toned scale 

Major triad and sixth 

Minor triad and fourth 

Octave complete 

Octave complete except seventh . 
Octave complete except second . . 
Other combinations of tones 



otZngli Catalogue numbers. 



Total. 



2 


271,276 






114 






116 






229 






215 






230 






179, 1S2, 205, 


277 


11 





BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the twelfth. 
Beginning on the octave . 
Beginning on the tenth . . 
Beginning on the ninth . . 
Beginning on the fourth.. 



Total. 




114,271,276,277 

116, 182,229 

215, 230 

205 

179 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic. 

Ending on the fifth . 
Ending on the third. 



Total. 



8 


114, 116, 179, 205, 229, 230, 271, 




276 


2 


182, 277 


1 


215 


11 





FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression downward. 

First progression upward 

Total 




114, 179, 182, 205, 229, 230, 271, 

276, 277 
116,215 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals . 

Sixth lowered a semitone 

Total 




114, 116, 179, 182, 205, 215, 229, 

271,276,277 
230 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Songs beginning on the accented portion of the measure 


9 
2 




Songs beginning on the unaccented portion of the measure 


179, 182 


Total 


11 








Metric unit of voice and drum the same 


1 
6 
4 


215 


Metric unit of voice and drum different 


179 205 229 230 "'71 "'76 


Recorded without drum 


114 116 182 ■'77 






Total 


11 









148 



BUEEATT OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
Structural Analysis 



I BULL. 45 





Number 
of songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 


Harmonic 


5 
6 


114,215,230,271,276 


Melodic 


116 179 182 205 229 277 






Totar 


11 









SA'GIl'DIWIN'lNA'GUMo'wiN (LoVE iSoXGS) 

The love songs mark a distinct phase in the development of music 
as a means of expression. It is not uncommon to find the words 
continuous throughout the song with little or no repetition. This 
characteristic has not been found thus far in any other branch of 
Chippewa music, and shows that in them the expression by means 
of words is as free as the expression by means of musical tones. 
These words are seldom transcribed. From observation the writer 
believes that the words of a certain melody are often improm])tu in 
exact form, though having a general similarity throughout the ren- 
ditions by various singers. 

The love songs are more free in melody progression than other 
classes of songs. Many of them have traveled far and are known to 
be very old. They constitute a favorite form of music among the 
Chippewa, and are sung with a nasal tone used in no other except the 
songs of the scalp dance. This resembles the cry of an animal, yet 
the intervals are given almost as accurately as where a direct singing 
tone is used. 

No. 133 (Catalogue no. 98) 

Sung by Manido^gicigo^kwe (" spirit day woman ")« 

Analysis. — This was said to be a very old song. The peculiar 
quality of tone assumed by the Chippewa in singing their love songs 
renders it impossible to convey a correct impression by means of 
notation. This quality is nasal, with a slight drawling and a sliding 
of the voice from one tone to another. 

The range of this song is two octaves, and the intervals are found 
to be correct, though difficult at first to recognize beneath their dis- 
guise of mannerism. The remarkable change of pitch in the tenth 
measure was given with more accuracy than many less wide intervals, 
following the general rule that uncommon intervals are more accu- 
rately sung than common intervals. A very explosive tone was 
given on the notes marked with an accent. 

a The singer of this and the following song is a unique personality, living all alone. (See pi. 11.) On each 
side of her log cabin is a little lake. Back of it stretches the forest, broken only by a wagon road whose 
single track is marked by stumps beneath and drooping branches overhead. In this desolate place Manido'- 
gidgo'kwe and her dogs guard the timber of her government allotment, the while she gathers roots from 
which she makes love powders to sell to the children of men. In her hand she usually carries a small 
hatchet. There is a smoldering fierceness in her small eyes, but her voice in speaking is low and musical 
and she laughs like a child. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



BULLETIN 45 PLATE 11 




MANIDO'GICIGO'KWE 



densmoue] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



149 



Tempo RrrBATO 
Recorded without drum 



-I 



H^- 



Si^S^^^S^^^ 









17^^;^=^ 



-^ — 



:i ^ 



m 



E#=i^^?55=**^ 



#— p- 



#i^ 



#^ 



^—C^0 



.4=t=t=t^ 



=F=F 



r :i^ 



g| 



:y^i= 



•-^ — ^- 



s 



i^ 



pa^^^gn 



^=jv=£ 



VzE^fz 



;ii^i^ 



-3 1. 



*. -# -•- -^ -^ 



::ti=l 



1 



-4-^J^^ 



No. 134 

Sung by Manido'gicigo'kwe 



(Catalogue no. 99) 



Tempo Rubato 
Recorded without drum 




^ 



P==i= 



N-^ ■ 



-T*s — N— I- — ' 
:*zitzi=;bz=zt 



:p — ^: 



d^: 



:^3t 



=1=a: 



^— ir 



i 



S3| 






^3:" 



-=t- 



■*■ -•- 



a 



:e^ 



?^^ 



-•zat 



i*— ir 



-'^^- ^ 



^ 






Analysis. — This melody, though apparently simple in outline, is 
very free in movement. The tones are those of the key of F,yot the 
melody does not affiliate with the principal chords of that key and 
shows little feeling for a keynote. 



150 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 135. "My Love has Departed" (Catalogue no. lOi) 

Sung by Mrs. Mary English" 

Voice J = 132 
Recorded without drum 




ISPJii^filiiSl^^ 



Man-go-dfig - win inn - dl - neu-dum man-go-dfig-win niu - di - neu-dtim, 







-^ 



uii-gwe - na-win nin - i - iiiu-ce e-ui-wa-wa - sa- bo - ye-zud. 



^- 



-251— 



^m^^^^^^Mm 



Ba - wi - till 



^'i - 111 - ma-dja 



nm-i-mu-ce a - ni 



ma-dja 



^^^^^=ji5|=^ii=gngiiiiia 



ka - win - i - na-wa niu-da-wa- ba-ma 



Si Man-go-dfig - win 





neii-dum man-go-dfig-win nIn - dt - nen-dum, 






mi-gwe - na-wlu ka - win - i-mu-ce, e-ni-wa-wa - sa - bo - ye-zud 



WORDS 

Farl 1 

Mangodug^win A loon 

Nm^dmen^dum I thought it was 

Mi^gwenawin' But it was 

Nln''imuc3'' My love's 

Eni''wawasa'boyezud' Splashing oar 

a The singer of this song is a sister of William Warren, the historian of the Chippewa. Her family lived 
on Madeline island when she was a child, and this song came from there. It is a strange experience to 
talk with one who remembers when there were only one or two boats on Lake Superior, and who stood 
on the present site of Duluth when it was peopled only by a few Indians. On one occasion Mr. Warren 
and his sister, with a party of Chippewa, camped where Duluth now stands. As they were taking 
their departure Mr. Warren stood beside his canoe on the shore, stretched out his hand over the water, 
and said, "Some day this lake will be a highway of water where hundreds of boats will come and go;" 
then he pointed to the little group of tipis and said, "My brothers, you and I will never see it, but some 
day a great city will stand there." The Indians pointed significantly to their foreheads. Their brother 
had been too long in the hot sun, and even his sister entered the canoe with a heavy heart. 



dexs.moreI 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



151 



Part 2 

Ba'witing^ To Sault Ste. Marie 

Gi'nima'dja Ho has departed 

Nin^imuce' My love 

A''nima'dja Has gone on before me 

Kawm^inawa^ Never again 

Nindawa^bama'si Can I see him 

Part 3 is similar to part 1. 

Analysis. — This is an example (^f a common form of Chippewa songs, 
in which the first and hist parts are ahke, the micklle section differing 
slightly and often being the only part in which words occur. Like 
most of the lore songs, it was sung tempo rubato. The measure- 
lengths are clearly marked by the accents. This song in a less com- 
plete form has been found on other reservations. 

No. 136. ''Why Should I be Jealous?" (Catalogue no. 104) 

Suns l>v Mrs. Mee 



Voice J — 88 
Recorded without drum 

hiJ^-^ ^ 



m-' 



:M^=!^i£ 



'^ ^ 



■^ 



1^— ' 

Na - bi - sa nin - do - ma ge - o - den - da - ma - ban 




ma - dja-kwi - wi - ja - sis a ya ya 



t I ya 



Nabi'sa Why sliould 

NinMoma' I . even I 

Geoden'damaban' Be jealous 

Madjakwi'wijasis^ Because of that bad boy? 

This song is not without its humorous side. It is said that in the 
old times an Indian maid would lie face down on the prairie for hours 
at a time singing this song, the words of which are so very independent 
and the music so forlorn. The song was as often sung by a young 
man, the words being appropriately changed. 

Analysis. — This is one of the few songs in which the key is fully 
established, as is shown l)y the fact that it can be readily accom- 
panied by the three ])rinci})al chords of the key of A. It is said to be 
a very old song and to ])e commonly used in recent times. The latter 
fact suggests that continuous use under semicivilized conditions may 
have modified the form of the melody to its present regularity of 
time and intervals. 



152 BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 187. "I DO NOT Care for You Any More" (Catalogue no. 106) 

Sung l)y Ki'tcimak'wa (" big be.\r") 
Voice J rr 52 
Recorded without drum 



1 






It 



£=^=^ 



£ 



-^— ^- 



Ka sfi gin gi - ba- ba - m6 - ni- uii- si- non 

i\ a-r^ N- 



ka 



win sli gin 

+ 






gi-ba-ba- me-ni-mi-sl-uon ba-ka-nl-zi be-ba - me - ul-niug uin 



Kawin^ 

Su 

Gin 

Gibaba^menimisinon'. 

Baka^nizi' 

Beba^menimug' 

Nin 



[Free translation] 
I do not care for you any more 
Some one else is in my thoughts 



The mournfulness of this song, Hke the preceding, suggests that the 
Indian lias some difficulty in transferring his affections. Ki'tci- 
mak'wa, who sang the song, assured me that he was the best singer 
on the White Earth reservation. His voice is full and resonant. At 
the dances he sits at the drum for hours at a time, leading both 
singing and drumming. 

Analysis. — E flat is the only tone occurring in this melody which 
marks it as minor, and this was sung slightly higher than the proper 
pitch. This song is, however, plainly minor in tonality. Like most 
of the love songs, it is widely known on the reservation. 



Voice J = 76 
Recorded without drum 

-•- -•- -9- 

-Ei^ — 



No. 138. "Do NOT Weep" 

Sung by Ki'tcimak^wa 



(Catalogue no. 107) 






i=i^ 



;E3 



te 



Ge - go - bi - na - ma - wi - ken, ge - go - bi - na - ma - wi - ken, 



^P^^ 



i!3EEE^ 



WM 



£EEJ 



#=P= 



^P- 



z^-r- 



ge - go - bi - na - ma - wi - ken, ka - win go - cu niu-da - nl - bo - si 



den'smoheI 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



153 



Gegobina'mawik6ii' 1 

Kawin' Do not weep 



Gocu^ 

Nlnda'nibosi^ 



1 am not going 1o die 



This song is widely known among tlie Chippewa. It is one of the 
sweetest of all their love songs. In it we do not find the fanc}' of 
youth but the deeper love and the nearness of the deeper sorrow. 

Analysis. — Although this song begins with a downward progres- 
sion, it is more strongly marked by upward movement than many of 
the songs. In this and in its plaintiveness lies its chief interest. 

Reference is made to song no. 200 (catalogue no. 145), in the section 
on Red Lake reservation music, which shows a repetition of this song 
by a singer on that reservation. 

No. 139. "He Must be Sorrowful" (Catalogue no. iio) 

Sung by Ki^osf/wini^ni ("fioon hunter") 

Voice J — 76 
Recorded without drum 



m^ 



-t-iC 






^ 



^r-t:^ 



' — r±^z± 



n^^ 



=^=p' 



-K}- 



-0-' -»- 


,K 




-•- -•- 


^ 




C\' \ -1 


' ' A 


(^ 


c \ \ 


• * m 


^- 








1 1 i— 1 






-^ ' ..„ 1 


1 1 1 












1 /' 


' 





' / 


1 



fp 



E^^=E 



Gi - na-ni - na-wen - da -mo- dog ga -ni - ci- wa - na - dji - gi - gad 

+ 



£ 



me-gwa we-ski - ni - gi-yau e 



Ginani''naw6n^damodog^ He [or she] must be very sorrowful 

Ganiclwana'djigad' Since he [or she] so deceived and 

forsook me 

Me'gwa During 

We''skinigiyan'' My young days 

Analysis. — This, like no. 136, may be sung by either a man or a 
woman. The song is chiefly interesting because of the flatted third 
as an accidental. The ex])ression of sadness by means of a minor 
interval is not so characteristic of Indian music as of oiu' own. 



154 



BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



No. 140. ''When I Think of Him" (Catalogue no. 262) 
Sung by Henry Selkirk 
Voice J = 62 
Recorded without drum 

. -•- -•- -•-• -f- -m- -p-M-f- ^ -s*- 



:#: 



i=E 



f=^ 



^11 



E^S 



^: 



^-^P^ 



^— •— ^— • 



^Ie^I 



A-no -gi - ya - i - ki-do-puu e a -no - gi - ya - i - ki-do-pun 



S«ste 



^ 



a 



!:^; 



I 'y. 



gi - ya - i - ki-do-pun e 



a-wtiu-djic-i 



aJ P^^^ ii 



f 



-t^-^ 



S 



E 



go - ko nin-gac-ken - dum ka - mi-kwe-ni-ma-gin a-no-gi - ya 



Hifete 



2j]Ljn : ^ ^x 



i 



Bee 



::)=trjt 



i-ki-do - pun a-djic a-no 



gi - ya - i - ki-do-puu 



Anogi^yayai'kidopun' Although he said it 

A^wiindjic'igoko' Still 

Ningac^kendClm I am filled with longing 

Ka'mikwe^nimagin^ When I think of him 

This is one of the old love songs of the tribe and may be sung by 
either a man or a woman. Several months previous to the making 
of this record a song resembling it was recorded on the Red Lake 
reservation. On comparison it is found that the Red Lake song is 
more elaborate in both rhythm and measure divisions, but the 
general trend of the melody is the same. See song no. 160 (catalogue 
no. 151). 

Analysis.— The accidental in the second measure of this song is 
very effective and the compass of the song lacks only one tone of being 
two octaves. The ability of the singer to "pitch" properly a song 
of such range is worthy of note. 



No. 141 

Sung by Ga^'tcitcigi^cig 



(Catalogue no. 275) 



Analysis. — A large number of words are used in the Chippewa love 
songs, but they are in tlie nature of conversation and do not form a 
sufficiently imi)ortant part of the song to be translated. New words 
are very often composed and names introduced into the song. 

This song is said to be very old. In a song of this character the 
length of the tones varies with the singer and with his mood. This 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



155 



rendition is transcribed as nearly as possible, but one can not be 
sure tliat repetitions by other singers would be identical. The song 
was sung very slowly, with the peculiar nasal tone affected by the 
Indians when singing love songs. 



Voice J =i 50 
Recorded without drum 




^^m 






m-^-f-^- 



-^ ^_^ ^ 



^U=q 



&^Se3=£ 



s — ^- 



?3: 



S 






:9i=&=t=t 



^-^A 



sH 



(z I » -^- 



ffi 



;i 



■«'-^ 



=P: 



^— • 



t=tl:4=^ 



Lo?;e Songs — 1F/(?V^ Earth Reservation. 



^ 



Melodic Analysis 
tonality 





Number 
of songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 




3 

G 


99,104,110 


Minor tonality - - 


98, 101,100, 107, 2fy2, 275 








Total 


9 








TONE MATERIAL 


Fourth five-toned scale. . 


1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
2 


104 


Second flve-toned scale 


202 




99,101 




275 




98 




106 




107,110 








Total 


9 









156 



BUREAtT OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Melodic Analysis — Continued. 
BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the twelfth. 
Beginning on the octave. . 
Beginning on the third. . . 



Total. 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numtjers. 



98,262,275 

101.104,100,107,110 

99 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic. 
Ending on the fifth. . 
Ending on the third. 

Total 



101,106,107.110,202,275 

98,99 

104 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progre.ssion upward 

First progression downward. 

Total 



98,99,101,104,262,275 
106,107,110 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals 

Sixth raised a semitone 

Fourth raised a semitone 

Fourth and seventh raised a semitone. 

Total 



104,106,107,110 
101,262,275 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Beginning on accented portion of measure 

Beginning on unaccented portion of measure. 



101.104,107,110 
98,99,106,262,275 



Structural Analysis 



Harmonic. 
Melodic. .. 



None 



Ata'diwin'ina'gumo'win (Moccasin-game Songs) 

The moccasin (^ame is the princij^al form of gambhng; practised by 
the Chippewa at the present time. A characteristic of the moccasin- 
game songs worth}^ of special note is the combining of a rapid metric 
unit of drum with a slow metric unit of voice, strongly indicating 



dexsmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



157 



the elements of excitement and control which prevail in the game. 
Words may or may not be used, one instance bein<z; shown in which 
the words occur in different portions of the melody in the varyin*^ 
renditions of the sono;. 

The diiimbeat of tlie moccasin game is a strongly accented stroke 
preceded by a very short unaccented stroke. 

In the moccasin game four bullets or balls are hidden under four 
moccasins. One bullet or ball is marked and it is the object of the 
opposing players to locate this with as few ''guesses" as possible. 
The whole village knows by the beat of the drum when a moccasin 
game is in progress, and the writer can testify to the energy with 
which the drum is beaten, having sat next to it for a long time, the 
crowd of interested spectators nearly falling over her head. There 
was very little air to breathe, but the discomfort was amply repaid 
by the interest of watching the faces of the players. 



Voice J =192 
Eecorded without drum 



»i=l 



No. 142 
Sung by Main^ans 

a- 



(Catalogue no. 112) 



See 



fct 



#=^f=p=T 



-'T — ^-| — ^—* \ 



^f2- 



m 



s 



-(2- 



■ S^ I r I r ^h— •=pi-4^ — r 






-(9-r- 



+ 



^-^- 




mw- 



-i — t 



=E=P 



a 



Analysis. — In this instance an attempt has been made to indicate 
the embellishing of a melody by means of small melody progressions. 
Certain tones were sung less than a semitone higher than the pitch 
indicated and are marked in the usual manner. This song has no 
words. The melody is of unusual freedom, progressing several times 
from the highest to the lowest tones. It is peculiar in that the first 
and last tones are the same. 



158 



BUEEAU OF AMEETCAN ETHNOLOGY Tbull. 45 

No. 143 (Catalogue no. 181) 

Sung by Aki'waizi' 



Voice J— 96 
Drum J =116 



^±-M^^:=^ 



i^ it t^f: jfts-it, .f2,. 



-m 



I I ■ 
-I — L3- 



-f2- 



2± 



f-J-- 






+ 



fe^=^ 



+ _toiL 



M- 



::2: 



_1?12^_ 






;b 



Drum-rhythm 
Drum J= 116 



=^^f 



:^ 



:^: 



::^ 



"etc. 



Analysis. — The accidental in this song is the lowered sixth, and it 
is worthy of note that the accidental was given with more firmness 
and better intonation than the other tones of the song. Four rendi- 
tions were secured, the rhythm being regularly maintained. The 
drum is very sharp and insistent, as in all the moccasin-game songs. 

No. 144. "If I am Beaten" (Catalogue no. 203) 

Sung by Nita^miga^bo ("leader standing") 

Voice J:= 104 
Drum J =120 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 143) 



mn. 



^ JfL f.. 






-n—w- 



n^ 



s 



£- 



f= 



U 



Nin - gi - we 



m-we - ui-go-yan 




3^^-- 



:[=t:: 



=d"^^=4 



m 



Nin^gagiwe^ I will go home 

Niwe'nigoyan' If I am beaten 

Nin'genadin' After more articles 

Minawa''geatc^igeyan^ To wager 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



159 



Analysis. — Only the first two words appear on the phonograph 
record, yet five Indians were in the room when the sono; was recorded 
and they all ao:reed that these were the proper words for the song. 
This is one of the instances in which the melody is evidently more 
important and constitutes more fully the identity of the song than 
the words. The melody shows great complexity of rhythm, a feat- 
ure to be expected from the nature-of the words. The tones of the 
melody are those of the tonic triad. 

No. 145. " I HAVE Come After your Stake" (Catalogue no. 224) 

Suii<r by Ga'gandac' 
Voice J_69 
Drum J= 120 
( Druin-rhyLfam similar to No. 143 ) 



Pg: 



r: 



p^ 



s^ 



Nim - bi - iia - di - nun ki - da- di - mi-nfin hi a ya a 




I • — • — • — m~ 



^-q- 



-ii—ii—d d~^—^^^ 



ni - ta - wa - ta - gi- y uu a ya 

WORDS 

Nim'binaMmun^ I have come after it 

Kide^iniGn Your stake 

Nita'wata'giyun^ You good players 

Analysis. — The rhythm expresses the idea of this song in a very 
interesting manner. The voice rhythm is slow, steady, and deter- 
mined, while the drum rhythm is the quick, energetic beat of the 
moccasin game. 

Moccasin-game Songs — White EartJi Reservation 
Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 



Major tonality . 
Minor tonality. 

Total . . . . 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



181,203 
112,224 



160 



BUREAU OF AMERTCAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bt'LL. 45 



Melodic Analysis — CJoiitinued. 

TONE MATERIAL 



Octave complete 

Major triad 

Major triad and sixth . 
Minor triad and sixth. 

Total 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



112 
203 
ISl 
224 



BEGINNINGS OF HONGS 



Beginning on the twelfth. 
Beginning on the tenth . . 
Beginning on the second. 

Total 



181, 203 

224 

112 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic . 
Ending on the fifth . 



112, 181, 203 
224 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression upward . . . 
First progression downward . 

Total 



112, 181 
203, 224 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals. 
Sixth lowered a semitone 



Total. 



112, 203, 224 
181 



Rhythmic Analysis 





2 
2 


181,203 


Beginning uii unaccented portion of measure . . 


112, 224 






Total 


4 








Metric unit of voice and dnnn different 


3 

1 


181,203,224 
112 






Total 


4 









DKNSMDItE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 
Structural Analysis 



161 



Harmonic. 
Melodic — 

Total 



Number 
of songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



181,203 
112, 224 



Unclassified Songs 
No. 146. Call to the Dance (Catalogue no. 1 05 ) 

Suntr by Ki'tcLmak'wa 



Voice J _ . 80 
Recorded without drum 




E=Et^E3^-^ 



JE.^^f--„ 



^E^^irsiE^: 



^^^3^^^^ 



Ff?33:^S 



#- -f- *■ 



J=i&J=l^^ 



SEE 



4; 



F&^^^i 



^1 



=P=^ 



T^-- 



S 



t 



This song is sung by riders upon ]:)onies, who go through the vilhige 
summoning the people to the dance. Witli his usual conscientious 
carefulness Ki'tclmak'wa sang this into the phonograj^h with the same 
shakiness of voice which would be produced by riding on his pony. 

Anahjsis.—T\\Q. interest of this exam])le lies in the rhythm of the 
song as a whole. One must have this in mind to appreciate how 
well it expresses the scene and the action of the rider going his rounds 
and summoning the people to the dance. Several renditions were 
given and the melody was accurately repeated. 

The song contains no rhythmic unit and the rhythm is remarkably 
continuous throughout. There is no "stopping place" in the mel- 
ody, yet the song as a whole can not be said to constitute a rhythmic 
unit; it simply reflects in its rhythm the motion of the pony and 
the general gayety of the scene. 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 11 



162 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



I BULL. 45 



No. 147. "I AM AS Brave as Other Men" (CatalogiuMio. 109; 
Sung by Ki'ose^wini'ni (" good hunter ") 



VoiCB J 92 
Drum J - 92 



m^ 



Az 



-P=^ 



-m- -•- , -^■ 



igJz^^E^g 



:ti=t:: 



-s>^^ 



^gi=t=F=t: 



_t>i 



VW=ir. 



t^b=^=tr=t=ti^=^=: 



^^ 



--^-■=X- 



1=:4: 



-jizzM=Mi 






-• — ^—d 



^=^ 



I 



WORDS 

Ini'niwiig^ Men who are bravo and heroic 

Ene'nimowufF As you esteem them to be 

Migo' Like them 

Kayanin' T also 

Ene'nimowtld Consider myself to be 

This sons is similar to no. 148 and shows the Indian's manner of 
impressing his greatness on his fellow-men. 

A repetition of this song was secured after several months and 
was found to be particularly correct, even to the time as measured 
by the metronome. 



No. 148. "My Music Reaches to the Sky" (Catalogue no. 274) 

Sung by GA'TciTcioi^ciG 
Voice J— 104 
Drum J— 112 
\ Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



)4— ^- 



:^=^: 



•-TV — Nf«- 

•- 



d: 






m — -i — ^pt^-i — w~^ — tZ|— 



-A 



>A^\ 



— - — •— F^ — • — -1 — -I 1 — —J — i-l--i^^^- 



Gt da-min -a - we - we - cka-infin e a-wadj-i - gi 






tazat 



-7^ 



:e 



niu gi-cig 



DEXS.MllKK I 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



163 



WORDS 

Daminwe'weckamui/ Music reaches 

Awadj'ginin' My 

Gi'cig To the sky 

This is one of the old songs. It was sung after all had assembled 
and just before they began to dance. It is said to have been a 
particular favorite. 

Analysis. — Attention is called to the high tones at the beginning 
of this song. Its structure is similar to that of the preceding song.' 
The measures containing the words are slightly slower than the others, 
to permit clearness of enunciation. 



No. 149. Lullaby 

Sung by Mrs. Mee 



(Catalogue no. 102) 



Voice Jrz72 
Recorded without drum 



fa 



^Z» 



\S3z 



iL4: 



#=t 



A 



we we we 



etc. 




4z=^ 



'^- 



:i 



^ 



;b 



This lullaby is very old and is widelv used among the C'hipi)e\va, 
the syllables we we we corresponding to the "bj^ by" of the white 
race. The rhythm of this, sung in slow time, is very soothing. 



No. 150. Farewell to the Warriors 

Sung by Mrs. Mee 
Voice J = 76 
Recorded without drum 



(Catalogue no. 103) 




ya tot a ya mi a 



ya ya wi a 

WORDS 



ya wi a 



Umbe' Come 

A^nimadjag' It is time for you to depart 

Wa^sugi'dija'min We are going a long journey 

This is a \ev\ old song. The writer lias talked with those wlio heard 
it sung long ago, when a war Jiarty left the little Chipj^ewa village. 



164 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



It was the custom for the women to accompany the warriors a short 
distance, all sino;ing this song; later the song would be heard again, 
faintly at first, then coming nearer as the women returned alone, 
singing still, but taking up the burden of loneliness which is woman's 
share in war. 

Analysis. — Only one other song in the present collection no. 126 
(catalogue no. 229) contains the interval of a whole tone between 
the seventh and eighth. This interval adds greatly to the effect of 
the song. The melody is of rare beauty, and is very graceful, despite 
the wide intervals at the beginning. 

No. 151. Song of Thanks for a Pony (a) (Catalogue no. 91) 

Sung by Cagan'asi — (" englishman ") 
Voice J— 96 
Dru.-m Jrr 160 
(Double drum-beat, accented ) 




=9^=P= 



:p 



:!:it=t:| 



^^— ^ — ^ 



;0 



No. 152. Song of Thanks for a Pony (b) (Catalogue no. 92) 

Sung by Cagan^asi 
Voice J= 104 
Drum J- 104 
( Drum-rhythui similar to No. Ill ) 



iisi 



-p- -t— -t— -I— -h- -F-' 



>• A- 



:^^F=£pf^ 



^^-^- 



t=%=t. 




DENSMOREl CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 153. Song of Thanks for a Pony (c) 

vSung by ( 'aoan'asi 
Voice J= 104 



165 

(Catalogue no. 93) 



104 



Drum J 

(Druiii-rhythin similar to No. Ill) 



mm 



t--^^f--^. 



-I— 






Analysis. — This is a set of three songs which are sung when a pony 
is given away at a dance. The transaction would not be considered 
complete unless these or similar songs were sung. This rendition 
contains no words. A repetition of the same songs on another 
reservation contains the words "The pony is mine." 

Attention is called to the syncopation in the second song. This 
is unusual, but was accurately given and repeated. 

Unclassified Songs — White Earth Reservation 

Melodic Analysis 
TONALITY 



Number 
of songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 


Major tonality 3 


93,102,274 
91,92,103,10,5,109 







Total . 



TONE MATERIAL 



Fourth flve-toned scale 

Second flve-toned scale 

Major triad and sixth 

Octave complete except sixth. 
Other combinations of tones . . 



Total . 



1 


102 


1 


105 


2 


93,274 


1 


92 


3 


91,103,109 



BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the tonic a. . 

Beginning on the flfth 

Beginning on the octave. . 
Beginning on the eleventh . 
Beginning on the ninth 



Total. 



2 


102, 103 


2 


91,274 


1 


93 


1 


109 


1 


92 



a A portion of this melody lies above the kejTiote and a portion below it. 



166 



BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Melodic Analysis — Continued. 

ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Number 
of songs. 



Ending on the tonio. 
Ending on the fifth. , 
Ending on the third. 



Total. 




Catalogue numbers. 



92,102,103,109,274 

91,105 

93 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression upward. . . 
First progres.si()n downward. 



92,102,103,274 
91,93,102,105 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing accidentals. 
Fourth raised a semitone . . . . 
Second lowered a semitone . . . 



Total. 




92,93,102,103,105,274 

109 

91 



Rhythmic Analysis 





5 
3 


91,92,105,109,274 




93,102,103 






Total 


8 








Metric unit of voice and drum the same 


3 

2 
3 


92, 93, 109 
91,274 


Metric unit of voice and drum different 


Recorded without drum 


102,103,105 






Total 


8 









Structural Analysis 



Harmonic. 
Melodic. .. 



None 



SOCIAL SONGS ON RED LAKE RESERVATION 

Description of the Dances, Costumes, and Celebration on July 

4, 6, AND 7, 1908 

On the evening of July 2, 1908, the writer reached the Red Lake 
reservation in northern Minnesota for the purpose of studying the 
music of the Chippewa Indians during the Fourth of July celebration. 

A large number of the Indians had already assembled and tipis 
were hourly added to the groups surrounding the field where the 



DENSMOREl CHIPPEWA MUSIC 167 

dances were to be held. The eoniciil cloth tipi prevailed, sinoke- 
stamed and weatherworn, l)ut a few white tents were pitched at a 
little distance, showing their occu])ants to be slightly removed from 
the older Indian life. Very close together were the tipis of the 
''old timers." No one need be ignorant of what took place in his 
neighbor's ti])i, although the openings were never exactly opposite 
each other. 

The work of })utting up the tipi was usually done by the women, 
and it was interesting to watch the care with which they erected the 
three main ])oles, tied these together near the top, laying the other 
poles upon their intersection; finally they put one pole in each corner 
of the smoke-hole flaps of the cloth, spreading the cover neatly over 
the framewor-k tluis constructed, fastening it together over the <]oor, 
and tying it to the stakes at the ground. 

The Indians in the cam}) numbered about 200, while many more 
were visiting friends at the agency village. 

This celebration was conckicted entirely by the Indians, solely for 
their own pleasure. A subscription had l^een made ])y the traders, 
agency employees, and leading "mixed ])loods," which ])rovided food 
for the cam})s and prizes for the contest, but the management rested 
with the Indians. There were no formal exercises and no s})eeches 
by white men; indeed, the writer was the only white person there, 
exce])t the agency employees. 

The evening of July 3 found all in readiness, A rope marked off 
the large dancing circle and outside this were ranged various lemonade 
stands and a platform for dancing provided with a covering of green 
boughs. 

Although firecrackers were for sale at the stores they seemed to 
have little attraction for the Indians. Some little boys solemnly 
fired a few crackers in a secluded lane, and two rockets ascended 
from the space in front of the Chippewa trading store. Aside from 
this a dignified silence prevailed. 

The writer was awake early on the morning of July 4. It was 3 
o'clock ; the red dawn lay close to the pine trees in the east, and 
from tliie Indian camp arose the deep throb of a drum. Never was 
national holiday ushered in more impressively. He. who sat beside 
the drum greeted in his own waj^ that which his race honoi-ed 
before they ever saw the Stars and Stripes, and in their tipis his 
kinsmen waked to say "the day is come." 

After breakfast the women were chatting good naturedly over 
their cooking fires. From one tipi came the jingle of sleigh bells 
as a brave handled the costume he had prepared for the occasion; 
near the door of another lay a bundle of bright beacknl trappings; 
everywhere were the dogs and the babies. 



168 BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bfll. 45 

It was about 10 o'clock when the parade started. There were 
no carriages with sniihng, bowing speakers prepared to instruct and 
insj)ire. About fifty Indians were riding. Their costumes were l)right 
with beadwork and gay streamers adorned the ponies. One man had 
swathed his pony in a huge American flag, and thus garbed it walked 
in the rear, following the procession like the spirit of a soldier's horse 
slain in the border wars. 

The little parade took its way down the hill, across the bridge, 
and up to the agent's office. The leading men drew up their horses 
in a circle before the door, and each made a patriotic little speech 
to the agent; then they filed out of the inclosure and across the 
bridge once more, stopping before one of the stores, where the same 
programme was repeated. This finished, they went to the other 
store, a crowd following in their wake. (See pi. 12.) 

It was considered that the day was formally and properly opened, 
and the procession jingled away to the camp. 

The noonday sun shone hotly down, dogs and babies sought the 
shady side of the tipis, yet a general sense of joyous- expectancy 
filled the air. Soon the beat of the drum was heard in the direc- 
tion of the dancing circle with a low, vibrating lie Tie as tlie singers 
practised around the drum, a shelter of boughs being provided for 
their protection. 

The war dance began about 2 o'clock. Only a few were present 
at first, but soon dignified figures were seen coming from the tipis, 
each wrapped in a bright blanket or ])edquilt. An Indian on his 
way to the dance does not stop to parley or to greet his friends; 
he sees nothing but the pole which rises high in the center of the 
circle, and he hears nothing but the throb of the drum. The lead- 
ing chief, Nae'tawab', did not join the war dance at first. A chair 
was placed for him at one side of the circle, but he did not hasten 
his entry. 

Throughout this celebration the costumes were more primitive 
than those seen on other reservations. The difference consisted in a 
more extensive use of feathers, shell, bone, and horsehair in the 
decorations. Only two or three men wore felt hats. The wearing 
of the hat in the dance constitutes a sharply defined line of demar- 
cation between the full-blood and the mixed-blood Indian. On other 
reservations black felt hats were wound with red yarn, stuck with 
bright feathers, and adorned with yards of ribbon brilliant and 
varied in hue, but no such motley garb marred the dignity of the 
Red Lake dancers. Everyone wore some head covering, but it was 
of native construction. Stiff moose hair, dyed and fastened on a small 
wooden frame, constituted a ])o])ular headdress. In shape this resem- 
bled a huge flat rosette on top of the head with a strip extending 
down the back of the head to the neck and with one or two heron 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



ULLETIN 45 PLATE 12 




INDIAN PARADE 




INDIAN DANCE 

THE FOURTH OF JULY AT RED LAKE AGENCY 



DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 169 

feathers erect on the top. For fasteniiifr tliis on the liead it is nec- 
essary to braid a small lock of hair on to]) very tii::htly, pass it 
through a little hole in the wooden frame of the headdress, and 
secure it by slippinfr a wooden peg through the braid. Some wore a 
band of fur around the head, and to this part of a horse's mane or 
tail was often attached. One man wore a headdress composed en- 
tirely of long feathers d3^ed in bright colors, fastened to a cloth in 
such a way that they waved in every breeze and even hung before 
his face, almost hiding it from view. 

Brown woven underwear was a favorite foundation for a costume, 
over which was worn the bead work consisting of the breechcloth and 
leggins and two large flat pockets with broad bands over the op])o- 
site shoidder, all of black velvet, on which the white and colored 
beads showed effectively. Beaded moccasins completed this por- 
tion of the costume. Sleigh bells were a favorite decoration, a band 
of them being fastened around each knee and strings of bells to 
the waist in the back. One large bell was often worn on each ankle. 
Many dancers wore the skins of raccoons or long ribbon streamers 
at their elbows; some had the tails of raccoons dragging from their 
moccasin heels. A few wore sleeveless velvet jackets beautifully 
beaded and with these broad belts of beadwork with knife ])ouches 
on the hip. Small round mirrors were effectively used, being sewed 
on bands of cloth to form necklaces. One man wore an ''ephod" 
of red cloth thickly strewn with little mirrors; this garment, which 
was shield-shaped in the back and square in the front, being slipped 
over the head, is an article of Chippewa apparel which is rarely seen. 
One dancer wore the entire body of an eagle around his neck and 
another had that of a huge blackbird on which he had fastened 
dots of white. Still another had two strings of claws fastened 
across his forehead and temples. Several wore necklaces of bone 
with beautifully polished clam shells as ornaments in the front; 
others wore the broad silver armlets which were given to the Indians 
in the early days. The faces of all were gaily painted. Altogether 
it was a brilliant assemblage which sat around the dancing circle. 
Some were smoking the red stone ])ipe with stem of willow; others 
were sitting quiet, wrapped in their bright quilts, but when the 
familiar lie he was heard from the singers at the drum they rose 
with a rush like a flock of bright birds. Most of the dancers carried 
some object in the right hand — a turkey- wing fan, a bow with 
arrows, a stone ax, or one of the old chdjs to which scal])s were once 
fastened. One club had a wisp of horsehair dangling unpleasantly 
from it. These objects were used in the gestures, which form a 
conspicuous feature of the dancing, as the dancers point to some 
imaginary enemy in the distance, to a fancied footi)rint on the 
ground, or to the peaceful summer sky. When the dancing had 



170 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

continued for some time the chief, Nae'tawab', entered the circle, 
wrapped in a cotton bhmket of large pink plaid. vSmilino; to all, he 
took the chair placed for him and threw back his blanket, disclosing 
a magnificent suit of beadwork. 

Then began the formal reception of the visiting Indians. This 
took the form of speeches interspersed with war dances, the speeches 
being impromptu in the old Indian style. 

Nae'tawab' went across the circle to a row of visiting Indians and 
shook hands with each, giving some pleasant word of greeting. They 
did not rise when thus addressed. After Nae'tawab' had returned 
to his seat the drum gave out the rhythm of the war dance, and with 
an exclamation of How how the men sprang to their feet and danced 
around the drum, each man dancing alone and using his favorite 
gestures and fancy ste])s. This gives unlimited scope for the exhi- 
bition of individual skill and proficiency. In these dances the men 
did not all move in the same direction; often those nearest the drum 
circled toward the east while an outer circle moved toward the west. 

As soon as all were seated a speech was made by an Indian from 
the White Earth reservation. He said: "My friends, there are many 
white people in the part of the country from which we come and we 
follow many of their ways when we are at home, but I want to tell 
you that we have come to this celebration as Indians, not as white 
men. We wish to be Indians in everything while we are with you and 
we want you to think of us only as Indians, like those of the old days. 
I have done." 

The seated braves said How how how, and then danced again. 

After this another man made a speech saying, ''My friends, about 
a month ago my little daughter died. I have been very sad ever 
since; but as I am with you all here to-day I forget my sorrow and 
am entirely happy again. I have done." 

The braves said How how how, and danced again. 

There was no apparent order in these speeches. The speakers 
walked back and forth before their little audience, using simple 
gestures and sometimes waiting to hear Hoiv how after a ])articu- 
larly telling sentence. Patriotic speeches were made exhorting the 
Indians to appreciation of the day and emphasizing the fact that 
their gathering formed a part of a great celebration which extended 
all over the United States. 

Nae'tawab' reserved his speech until the last, delivering with great- 
oratorical effect a speech such as a chief should make. He stated 
especially that there would be no festivities on the following day, as 
it was Sunday, and he wished his people to show due respect to the 
Ruler of All by strictly observing the day. 

Then they danced for the rest of the day, singing the various war- 
dance songs familiar to Chippewa on the several reservations. 



DENSMOREl 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 171 



At about 8 o'clock in the evening the sound of the chum was heard. 
A crowd from the camp was moving toward an ohl store, Nae'tawab' 
leading and the drum in the midst. Before this l)uilding they stopped 
and began to dance around the drum, all singing the high droning 
melody of the "begging dance." Soon a shifting of the crowd showed 
that they were going toward the Chippewa trading store. Nae'tawab' 
was the leader, dancing and wavmg a little flag. Standing before 
the store he faced the Indians, dancing with all his might and urging 
them to sing louder and louder. Soon the trader brought out a box 
of oranges which he distributed; then the melody changed slightly to 
the ' ' thanks-f or-a-gif t " song, and the crowd passed on to another store. 

The scene presented a picture never to be forgotten. A bright 
light from the store windows flooded the grotesque crowd, while 
beyond were the gathering shadows of the night. Nae'tawab', 
growing more and more excited, was on the platform before the store 
waving his flag and dancing. His suit of beaded velvet ghstened in 
the light and his dancing was wonderfully graceful. 

Later they took their way up the hill toward the camp. Singing 
their strange, high melody, they vanished in the night and only the 
song remained. 

On Sunday the camp was quiet. Monday morning saw the fes- 
tivities resumed. Dancing began about 10 o'clock and lasted until 
late at night. The feast was one of the chief events of this day and 
consisted of boiled beef and soup. The beef is cut in pieces the size 
of a man's hand and boiled until there is very little taste in it. 
When served, it is dry and can be taken in the fingers. The broth 
is served separately as a drink, some of it being taken home by the 
people, who bring little pails for the purpose. 

At this dance a huge kettle containing the meat was brought into 
the dancing circle. One of the men in charge of the feast then 
selected five or six of the older men and led them one at a time to the 
kettle, where they seated themselves and began to eat. The first 
men thus selected were not in dancing costume, and the writer was 
told that they were thus honored because of their bravery in the old 
days. When one of them had finished eating he selected someone 
from the circle to take his place at the kettle, leading him forward 
with some little pleasantry. The Chippewa are a })eople whose 
smiles come very readily when they are at ease and with their friends. 
Portions of the meat were also passed to those who sat in the dancing 
circle, and the kettle was removed when the feast was finished and 
the dance resumed. 

On Monday a pony was given away. It was done very simply. 
A ' ' woman's dance "'^ was in progress, and a woman walked across the 

a See p. 192. 



172 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

circle and handed ;i little stick to a man, who took it and danced with 
her. The writer was told that he afterward ^^nve her an equivalent 
in beadwork. It is the invariable custom that a valuable gift must 
receive an equal return and such an exchange at a dance is usually 
arranged between the parties beforehand. 

The principal ''w^oman's dance" was held on Tuesday. Almost 
every woman brought a bag of gifts. This she laid on the ground 
beside her. In beginning this dance the drum gave the proper 
rhythm and the singers began one of the "woman's-dance" songs. 
Three young men rose together and rushed across the circle with the 
swoop peculiar to Chippewa dancers when making a concerted move- 
ment. Stopping in front of three women, they danced before them, 
laid down their gifts, and then rushed back again, seating themselves 
and instantly looking as though nothing had occurred. During the 
dance it is not customary for a man to ask a woman to dance unless 
she has previously asked him to do so. This was evidently a kind 
of preliminary demonstration. It was half an hour before the dance 
was fairly started. At first the circle was small, only large enough 
to reach around the drum, but later it occupied the larger part of 
the inclosure. In this dance the people faced the drum, moving 
slowly, the W'Omen wdth a sidewise shuffling step, the men often using 
the step of the war dance. 

The "woman's dance" is a merry one, and this was for pleasure 
rather than for the gifts, so it was continued longer than usual. If an 
exchange of gifts is the important part, it is arranged that each dance 
shall last only two or three minutes, the dancers then seating them- 
selves and gifts being once more presented. The gifts at this dance 
consisted principally of calico, though some large pieces of beadwork 
and one pony were given away. Nae'tawab' presented his pink plaid 
blanket to one of the women. It is the custom for a dancer to hold 
aloft the gift he or she has received that all may see it. To the 
spectator this is more interesting when the gifts are more varied and 
frequent, consisting of pipes, bead pouches, bead chains, strings of 
sleigh bells, and beaded jackets. The writer has even seen a man on 
a similar occasion "dance away" his beaded velvet costume, one 
piece at a time, finally leaving the circle wrapped in a blanket. 

The dancing, wdiich began in the morning, was continued with little 
intermission until after midnight. The scene was lighted by a full 
moon, round and red above the pine trees. Hour after hour was 
heard the tireless throb of the drum and the shrill voices of the 
singers; at last they ceased and the camp fell asleep — all but the dogs, 
which barked until nearly daybreak. At last they too w^ere quiet, and 
one was reminded of the words of an old Chippewa war song, "When 
the dogs are still I will be ready to do mischief." A gray light strug- 



UEXSMURE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC I7t3 

filled across the sky. It was the hour most (h-eaded in Indian warfare, 
the hour when so many terrible attacks were made. Yet in forget- 
fuhiess of the past and without fear of the future the Httle village 
slept. 

The Singers of Red Lake 

The personality of an Indian singer must be taken into considera- 
tion when analyzing his songs. This is the more important if the 
singers are of a primitive ty])e. Under such conditions one en- 
counters strongl}'" marked individualities, each of which may offer 
its particular sort of song or sing familiar songs in its own par- 
ticular way. 

The songs secured at Red Lake are placed in their several classes, 
but a description of the singers is herewith presented, in order that 
those who wish to judge a song by the personality of the singer may 
have an opportunity of doing so. 

Six singers were employed, anil 48 songs recorded, this material 
being representative of the culture on this reservation. 

1. C.rWITA'BINES ("SPOTTED BIRD") 

This singer was a man about 50 years old, who combined the old 
and the new modes of Indian life and thought. He spoke English 
fluently and sent his chiklren to the government schools, yet his 
special pride was his singing, which he said was in the ' ' regular old 
Indian way." 

These facts regarding his personality must be taken into considera- 
tion in an estimate of his songs. 

He recorded 18 songs, 6 of which were major ami 12 minor in 
tonality. They were divided as follows: 6 moccasin-game songs, 3 
woman's dances, 2 war songs, 2 old scalp dances, 1 song concerning 
a vision, 1 song concerning an historical event, and 3 repetitions of 
songs secured elsewhere. 

All the songs exce])t the first one were accompanied by the drum. 
In most instances the repetitions of the song filled the entire phono- 
graph cylinder. 

The value of this series of 18 records lies in its relation to the style 
of Indian singing as well as to accurate preservation of melodies. 
Gi'wita'bines varied the songs which he sang five or six consecutive 
times, frequently repeating certain phrases or the last half of the^song, 
and embellishing the melody. In transcribing these songs that portion 
of the record has been selected on which the song was evidently sung 
through once in a direct way, no attempt being made to transcribe 
variations therefrom which were clearly matle for effect. 

It is worthy of note that in these songs the pulse of the measure 
beginning is always repeated accurately, no matter how niucli the 



174 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

subdivision of the count, the less important melody progressions, 
or the order of phrases may vary. The significance of this can be 
appreciated only after an examination of the songs, and those who 
wish to follow closely this study of rhythm may tap the rhythm of 
the songs with a pencil, following the note values as definitely as 
possible. It is not necessary that one should be able to hear men- 
tally the melody; the general progression can be seen by the posi- 
tion of the notes on the staff. 

In these, as in songs previously considered, the tempo of the drum 
is steadily maintained, the tempo of the voice varying somewhat 
from the metronome indication. 

The special points of interest in this group are: 

(1) Two songs on the second five-toned scale, nos. 80 and 169. 

(2) Two songs based on the tonic and submediant chords, nos. 
186 and 159. 

(3) A slow melody with a very quick drum, no. 171. 

(4) A song interrupted l)y sharp ejaculations repeated on the 
same tone, no. 176. 

(5) Range of the singer's voice from C sharp on the bass clef to 
B on the treble clef. Many songs have the compass of a twelfth. 

(6) A rhythm of three pulses of the drum equivalent to two of the 
melody, a rhythm in which the pulse of the drum has no apparent 
relation to that of the melody, a practice of letting the drum follow 
the voice and of using an accented sixteenth note followed by a 
dottetl eighth are of frequent occurrence, but are found in the work 
of other singers also. 

2. WABEZIC ("MARTEN") 

Wabezic' was a most interesting character. He was ])art Cree and 
belonged to the Peml)ina band living farther north, but he married a 
Chippewa woman antl now lives at the village of Sandy River, on 
the Red Lake reservation. He could neither speak nor understand 
English, Wabezic' was short in stature and different in feature from 
the Chippewa. He was a wiry, active little man, with quick, keen 
eyes, a good dancer, and had the general a])pearance of a man accus- 
tomed to depend on his own resources. He said that he was named 
Wabezic/ because he was so small. 

This singer gave twelve songs, five of which were major and six 
minor in tonality. One was so wandering as to suggest a ])ossibility 
that it was incorrectly remembered. It is transcribed, however, as 
it was sung. The main characteristics of these songs are the per- 
sistence with which the drum beat follows the voice, the frequent 
descent of the minor third, and the tenacity with which the rhythm 
is maintained even when the melody is imperfectly repeated. 



DBNSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 175 

This singer was an excellent subject, but it was difficult for him to 
sing so many songs without preparation; thus some of the songs 
are sung more firmly and repeated more accurately than the others. 

3. GI'NAWIGI'CIG ("EAGLE DAY") 

This singer was an old man who could neither speak nor under- 
stand English and was almost totally blind. lie sang seven songs, 
six of which were minor and the other merged into minor at the 
close. He was a typical old Indian and most of his songs are of 
value. 

Musically these songs differ little from those of Wabezic'. 

4. GAGE'BINES ("THE EVERLASTING BIRD") 

This smger was a young man, a mixed-blood, who ha.d a pleasing 
voice and a particularly agreeable manner, both in singing and 
speaking. His features suggested the possibility of some negro 
ancestry and his songs have a suggestion of the ])laintive quality 
ami peculiar swing of negi'o melodies. 

He sang the plaintive songs so well that he was encouraged to 
keep to that style; he gave eight songs in all, five of which were love 
songs and the other three woman's dances. 

It is noteworthy that two of the most plaintive songs were major 
in tonality. Three of the songs were major, three were minor, 
and two were duplicates. 

These songs have a wide range, some of them having a compass 
of a twelftli. The love songs usually begin on a high note and the 
minor third is much used in the descending ])rogression. 

5. WILLIAM PRENTISS 

This singer was a young man, one of the best dancers and also 
considered one of the best singers. He sjioke English freely and 
was very intelligent. He only sang two songs. One (no. 187) 
was the "begging song" used on the evening of Jul}^ 4; the other 
(no. 174) is of interest, as the rhythm so closely resembles that of 
negro music. Both the songs given by this singer were minor in 
tonality. 

G. JOHN MARK 

This young man recorded only one song. This shows an inter- 
esting rhythm and a graceful melody, but as the voice was not 
adaj)ted to the ])honograph no further records were made. The 
importance of rhythm is shown by the fact that singers who recorded 
only a few songs usually gave songs of very peculiar rhythm. This 
suggests that the rhythm is more readily rememl^ered than tlie mel- 
ody. It has alread}^ been noted that in renditions of the same song 
by different singers the rhythm shows less variation thsni the melody. 



176 



BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 45 



In all the songs recorded at Red Lake the intonation is most 
accurate on the octave and fifth (or twelfth) and most noticeably 
uncertain on the fourth and seventh. Accidentals are usually given 
with special firmness and accuracy. Secondary accents are seldom 
found; thus the songs are divided into measures of 2-4 rather than 
4-4 time. 

The rhythmic peculiarities of certain songs, which resemble the 
rhythmic peculiarities of negro music, may be traceable to a vestige 
of negro ancestry among the Chippewa of northern Minnesota. 
Similarly, the melodic as well as the rhythmic features of certan 
songs, which suggest what is commonly known as '' Scotch music," 
may be traceable to songs heard years or even generations ago from 
Scotch traders, many of whom were connected with the Hudson's 
Ba}^ Company. This is offered as a tentative explanation. If it be 
true, it is an interesting point that both these elements should have 
left a rhythmic stamp on the music of a locality. The melodic 
resemblance is less important, as the tonality commonly known as the 
" Scotch scale" is found in the music of many primitive peoples. 



War Songs 

No. 154 

Sung hy Gi'wita'bines 



(Catalogue no. 131] 



Recorded without drum 



\4 ^ J— [:|- ^*-«-*-« -q 




Analysis. — This song was said to come from Standing Rock, South 
Dakota, and is one of the Sioux songs adopted by the Chippewa, 
though always credited to the Sioux. No words were used. The 
song was sung four times, without the drum. The length of the notes 
of the first ten measures varied slightly in the renditions, but from the 
tenth measure to the close the rhythm was regular and the tem])o as 
indicated, J = 80. It is a peculiar rhythm, which makes the exact- 
ness of its repetition more interesting. In each rendition the difi'er- 
ence between the fiat and the natural in the fourth measure from the 
last is worthy of note. 



DKN.SMoIii:] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 177 

No. 155. "Inside the Cave" (Catalogue no. 140) 
Sung by Cji'wita'bines 



Voice Jr= 1.32 
Drum J — 132 



9 — ■ —I o . ^ m — -J — I — <-m — • — :;—'-• 



•- • -•- -• • • •- J -•- -0- •• • • 



A-pic-k\ve-ka- nii-gaiig e a- bi -dog iii -mi - o-uils 



. ^ 



^f-f 


^ — ^ * ft ^ -^ ^ ^^-ft-S — p ^. -J g — ^-u-i- 


=^H 


-^ 1 


U --1— .^ f- ^Li^ ' ^— -1 U : _• ^ — F~M~^^ 


vl 



Apickwe^kamigaug' Inside the cave 

Abidog' That is where, it seems, 

Ni^mico^uiis ]\Iy grandfather is 

This is a very okl song. The phonograph record was played for a 
man on the White Earth reservation, who recognized it at once and 
said "That is an old Chippewa war-dance song of the days before 
they were friendly with the Sioux." 

Analysis. — This song was sung five times and in four of these ren- 
ditions the last part is repeated as marked. 

The beat of the drum is in quarter notes, preceded ])y an unac- 
cented stroke. 



No. 156 

Sung by Gi^nawigi^cig 



(Catalogue no. 172) 



Voice J — 92 
Drum J h,: 96 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 1) 




This song shows a very rapid diiun beat with a slow melody 
rhythm. In the beat of the drum we find an im])etus lo cpiickened 
pulse and rapid action, while the slower melody rhj^thm suggests con- 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 12 



178 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BrLL. 45 



trol and restraint. It is worthy of note that the tones marked (• 
were prolonged e([ually in each repetition, but not sufliciently to be 
indicated by a note value. 

No. 157 (Catalogue no. 17;<) 

Sung by Gi'nawigi'cig 
Voice J =168 
Recorded without drum 



^^^ 



fi- 



.t 



^— • 



IZZIIl 



^ 



ll^f 



^=1#=4 



l:#: 



t=d= 



-<5 (&— 



H 



This song contains three instances of a sixteenth note accented and 
followed by a dotted eighth. This subdivision of the count thus far 
has been found only at Red Lake and is not a characteristic of Chip- 
pewa music. 



No. 158 

Sung by Gi^nawku^cig 



(Cataloguo no. 17S) 



Voice J ^104 
Recorded without drum 

-•- -•- -•- -#- -•- -»- 



Hlp^ 



a= 



:t3t 



#— ^- 



it 



4-^ 



:M=M=«t^^r=: 







This, a short song, was sung seven times with no material variation. 

No. 159. Scalp Song (Catalogue no. 146) 

Sung by Gi'wita'bines 



Voice Jr= 104 
116 



Drum J 



( Drum rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



S 



#-#-^- 



(f—^—n- 



t^J=t 



P l> f 



:L.^=tt^ 



=P=^ 



' ^m^^ 



Analysis. — This song contains only the tones of the fourth five- 
toned scale on G and ends on the third tone of that key, and the only 
two chords agreeable to the melody are the tonic and submediant 
chords. This melody is characterized also by the descent of the minor 
third. There is no interval in the song larger than the minor third. 



DENSMKItE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

No. 1()(). Scalp vSong 

Suilir bv Gl'wiTA^BIXES 



179 

(('atalogue no. 147) 



Voice J= 120 
Drum J - 1 20 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



m 



-0- -• -•- -0-^-3 






-0- -0- -0- -0- 

rrrr ? • 




rW=^=f=ff=W 






m 






:]= t^q*— ^_*_pi =*_ ^— •— ^- 



I 



Analysis. — This song was sung four times, and no two renditions 
are identical, the differences consisting mainly in the interpolation 
of long repetitions of the same tone and in a variety of ornamental 
phrases. The rendition selected for transcription is the one contain- 
ing the least of such material. 



Xo. 161. Scalp Song 
Sung by Wabezic' 



(Catalogue no. 167) 



Voice J= 112 
Drcm J= 112 




-#— •^•-(* ,-/t_/p_ffA-^_, 



:r^==^=^ 



3tjt 



^E^ES 



^^ 






Analysis. — This song contains only the tones of the minor chord, 
and the fourth of the scale, which is used as a passing tone, it was 



180 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



sung four times. The intonation was wavering but the rhytlini was 
repeated exactly. The record shows the drum to be perce])tibly 
behind the voice, yet having the same metric unit. 



No. 162. "The Sky Replies" 

Sung by Wahezic^ 



(Catalogue no. 166) 



Voice J= 108 
Drum J= 108 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



5»1 



-^-_,t_^_^_ 



-^_^_A 



^ [ggg^^ l lSESE 



=F= 



^^^mi 



.^^=F=t= 



^d^=:i 



^ 



:t= 



-• — •- 



^g^JBgp 



m 



if— H 



tf=tf^ 



li 



-ii-it-^- 



seT^^E^ 



A~ 



^=p- 



llluS 



HEg 



W=i=W=^ 



w-^ 



#=i 



-• — •- 



:ti: 






Weja^wuckwago'deg The l)lue, overhanging 

Gi'cig Sky 

Nina'pomigwun' Answers me back 

Tlie singer said tliat he once killed a Sioux and sang this song with 
the scalp. 

This song was sung very firmly, without hesitation, and with good 
intonation. The three records are identical in every respect. The 
drum beat always followed the voice. The words were not sung 
clearly enough to be transcribed. 



War Songs — Jicd Lake Reservation 

Mklodic Analysis 

tonality 



Major tonality 

Minor tonality 

Beginning major and ending minor. 

Total 



Number of 
songs. 




Catalogue numbers. 



141), 147,1(50,107,172, 173, 17 
1.31 



DENS MORE 1 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



181 



Melodic Analysis — Contimiod. 

TONE MATERIAL 





Number of 
songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 


Fourth five-toned scale 


1 
2 
1 
2 
3 


140 


Second five-toned scale 


172, 17S 


Minor third and fourth.. i 


173 


Minor triad and fourth •. . . 


147, 107 


Other conil linations of tones 


131,140,106 






Total 


9 









BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the octave 

Beginning on the fifth 

Beginning major and ending minor. 

Total 




146, 147, 106, 107, 172, 173, 178 

140 

131 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on tonic. 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals . 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression upward 

First progression dov^^nward. 

Total 



131.140,172,173 

140,147,100,107,178 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Beginning on accented portion of measure 



3 


131, 14() 147 100 107 17S 




140, 172, 173 






Total 


9 










4 
2 
3 

9 


140,147,100,167 


Metric imit of voice and drum dilTerent 


146, 172 
140,173,178 




Total 







Structural Analysis 





1 
8 


140 

131,146,147,166,107, 
178 




Melodic . . 


172 173 






Total 


9 









182 



BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 4f 



I^ovE Songs 
No. 163 

Sun^ bv Wabezic' 



(Catalogue no. 161) 



Voice J— 88 
Drum Jrz88 



i gg^ ^p^^ 



-^.-t' 



:#: 






:iL«ilits 



-P^Ff2- 



itt; 



3 



:t=t=p=p^=#-B 



::iii: 



-I ; — 






A-be - jic e e A-be -jic e e 

The singer said that " in tliis song a young man asketl a young girl to 
go and walk with him and said that if she did not come this evening he 
would come and ask her again to-morrow evening." 

In this transcription the sharps and flats indicate the pitch of the 
tones, but do not imply an established key. 

No. 164 

Sung by Gage'bin|:s 
Voice J = 69 
Recorded without drum 



(Catalogue no. 155) 



.Bi-t2:^.xti=t 



:±±i^^. 



1\ 



:tz|: 



:^zt 



3EE 



-1 — P— ^. 



=E^= 



^ • -0- 



:§iSrs 



fcl^ 



:S: 






i 



is^ 



:pr- 



^ • 



:p=tp: 



t 



^5?=F 



1/- 



f-^^^ff- 









-^-1 — r-^*^ 



^» 



:^zE=^P=SB :"H±S=^i-=ir 






gg SJEigJ^ EJ^^f^^lfES^^g^^ 



« — f^^-» 



# # 



©I^A:^3EiS^ 



n-9^B 



b^z^fc^' 



SS=ii^ 



DENS more] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



183 



Tliis song is an interesting example of a plaintive melody in a 
major key. 

No. 165. "In her Canoe" (Catalogue no. 157) 

Sung by Gage^bines^ 

Voice J^ 60 
Recorded witliout drum 



m^M 



t- 



ip 



'A: 



V- 



-•^•-#- 



Si^^tigi; 



-I — I 



T- 



:p=r 



hi: 



:tz=t 



n—^^^~^ 



:p=r 



s 



:4=z=tl:4 









p^^E^pil 



WORDS 

Miau' I see her 

Nin^imu^ce My sweetheart 

Kaniwa^wasa'boye'su Paddling her canoe 

This is a song of a young man who stands on the shore watching 
the maiden of his heart as she paddles her canoe on the lake. 

The song is slow and is a good example of a })laintive melody in a 
major key. 

No. 106. "I AM Going Away" (Catalogue no. 151) 

Sung by Gage'bines^ 
Voice J =72 
Recorded without drum 




• ^ f- 



^^^i^^Li 




^'^ -m^ 



-4 I 1 I I I 












ds: 



I 



184 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 4S 



Let me go 



WORDS 

First verse 

Umbe Come 

Ma^noni^gainadja' I am going away 

Ma'iio I pray you 

Blu^x 

Niu^gama^dja. 

Neyab^ninga'wicin' I will soon return 

Ge'go Do not 

Mawi^micikeu' Weep for me 

Second verse 

Na Behold 

Tci'miwenda'miii We will be very glad 

Tciwa'bundiyung' To meet each other 

Dagnic'Ina'n When I return 

Ge'go Do not 

Mawi^micik(5n Weep for me 

Analysis. — Tliis melody is particularly graceful and pleasing. 
The tempo is not rigidly maintained. The metronome mark indi- 
cates the general tempo and tlie song is divided into measures by 
means of the accents. The words are not sufficiently distinct for 
transcription. 

No. 107. ''Come, Let I^s Drink" (Catalogue no. 152) 

Sung ])y CiA(j1'/hinf:s' 

Voice J — 53 
Recorded without drum 
^«_^ • 










jtiMz 



-4-^ 



I 



XJmbe^ Come 

Minikwe'da Let us drink 

This is the song of a lovelorn youtli who meets another and asks 
if he "has a bottle to cheer him up." 

Analysis. — This melody is not unlike the ])receding, except that 
it is set to a slower beat. The words can be recognized, but are 
too indistinct to transcribe. 



DfiN'SMOEE] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 

Love Songs — Red Lake Reservation 



185 



Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 



Nuinlierof 
songs. 



Catalogue numbers. 



Major tonality . 
Minor tonality . 



Total. 



15S, 157, IGl 
151,152 



TONE MAT Kill A L 



Fourth five-toned scale 

Octave complete 

Octave complete, except sixth . 
Other combinations of tones . . . 



Total . 



1 
1 


157 
151 


1 


152 


2 


155, 101 



BKGINNINGS OF SONCS 



Beginning on the twelfth . 
Beginning on the seventh . 
Beginning on the third 



Total. 



151,152,155 

IGl 

157 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic . 
Ending on the fifth. 
Ending on the third. 

Total 




First progression upward 

First progression downward . 

Total 



FIRST rUtXiUESSIONS 



151,157 
152,155,101 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals . 

Sixth raised a semitone 

Second raised a semitone 

Sixth lowered semitone 



Total . 




155, 157 
151 
152 
161 



186 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
Rhythmic Analysis 



[bull. 45 





Number of 
songs. 

4 

1 

5 


Catalogue numbers. 




151,152,155,157 




101 


Total 










5 









Structural Analysis 



Ilamionic. 
Melodic . . . 



None 

5 



MoCCASIN-GAISrE SoNGS 

No. His 

Suntr bv Gi'vvita'bines 



VoiCK J -92 

Drvm J 116 

(Drum-rhythm similar to Ko. Ill) 



(Catalogue no. IXi) 




=iis*# 



=F=P 



4=E 



-I 



Analysis. — The singer said that he learned this song when he was 
a boy. The song was sung three times, the measure lengtlis and 
melody remaining the same, but the note values varying in the latter 
portion of the song. 

The chief interest lies in the fact that there is no apparent relation 
between the pulse. of the melody and the pulse of the drum, the 
melody being J =92 and the drum J =112, each being maintained 
very regularly. Each drum beat is preceded by the short unaccented 
stroke wdiich characterizes the rhythm of the moccasin game. 



niCNSMOUIC 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 
No. 1()() 

Suns ^>y (tl^WITA'BINES 



Voice J =104 
Drum Jr^l20 

(Druiii-rhythin similar to No. 143) 






^- 



Etf-'^iS^- 



187 

(Catalogue no. N2) 



■^=:t~ 



:J=ht=it 



-r -& 



'^n 



-m— 



_p_^_ 



^: 



4: 



#=E: 



^^ — 



:^" 



=i 



^Sl: 






=^= 



Analysis. — This song was sung six times, the ])iilse of the drum 
being maintained at J =120 while the voice is as steadily held at 
J =104. The note values and measure lengths are the same in all 
renditions. The tonality of the song is similar to the preceding 
except that the second of the scale is given less prominence, being 
used only as a passing tone. 



No. 170 

Sung bv Gi'wita'bines 



(Catalogue no. 144) 



Voice J = 84 
Drum J ^ 108 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 143) 




• • f^ i± • • • ^ 



iftt 



~D — v^ I r i — ri o " — • — " — ■ — 1 1 ^-r'-i • ; 1 ■-■ 



Analysis. — In this, as in numerous other instances, there is no 
mathematical proportion between the metric units of voice and drum, 
each expression being independent of the other. 



188 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 171 (Catalogue no. 148) 

Sung by Gi^wita'bines 



Voice J r= 72 
Drum J— 112 
(Druin-rhythm similar to No. 143) 



m 



4r_ 



1=:^ 



4: 



=E=^ 



^ -»- 



4: 



m 







Analysis. — For transcription this was one of the most difficult 
songs in the entire series. It was sung three times, the essential 
points of the rhythm being identical throughout but the metric unit 
l)articularly hard to find. In this, as in similar instances, the metric 
unit, wlien found, can l)e readily traced throughout the record. 



No. 172 

Sung by Wabezic^ 



(Catalogue no. 171) 



Voice J= 120 
Recorded without drum 




Analysis. — This song contains the tones of the second five-toned 
scale on E flat. Its interest lies in the prominence of D flat, giving 
the im])ression of a song containing only the minor triad with minor 
seventh added.'* 

The peculiar ending of this song gives it a slight resemblance to a 
negro melodv. 



No. 173 

Sung by Gi'nawigi'cig 



(Catalogue no. 174) 



This song is in minor tonality, the first part comprising only the 
tones of the tonic chord and the last part containing the tones of the 
chords on the fourth and second of the scale. This suggests more 
harmonic possibilities than most of the songs. 

a For a consideration of this tonality, see analysis of song no. UG, p. 130. 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



189 



Voice J =112 
Drum J =112 
(Drum-rhytlim similar to No. 143) 

t. -t * . 



m 



IS: 



fc^: 



—J — m 1 »- 



^3:=fcq 



^iSEPEET 



'-^ 



K 



:t±f 



=H 



^— • 



:^ 



^ 



HI 



^i::*: 



^ 



No. 174 

Sung by William PrenI-iss 



(Catalogue no. 150) 



Voice J= 84 
Drum J =84 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. 143) 



# 



H ^==f-^ ^l 



itnit. 



^ 



> ^- V 




Analysis. — This melod^^ is based on the tones of the second five- 
toned scale. It contains a subdivision of the count by which a short 
tone occurs on the accented portion of the count. This pecuharity 
has been found onlv in the son2:s collected at Red Lake. 



No. 175. "He Gave Us a Double Crack" 

Sung by Gi'wita^bines 
Voice J = 80 



(Catalogue no. 134) 



Drum 



132 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 



*«^i 



'm=t 



Az 



=!== 



-4 1 \ • 1 ^— • ^ 1 1 —I 






Mi=^ 



-m—*—m-—t-»- 



M^ 



p= 









Zi S-^-^ : 



WORDS 

Kinicono'kiwi'igonun'' I say, he gave us a double crack 



190 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull 45 



Analysis. — These words refer to the skill of the opposing- j)layer 
and are not sun^z; in a melodic way l)nt spoken rapidly between the 
repetitions of the song. The term "double crack" is used to indicate 
a certain score in the game. 

This song shows the unusual range of the singer's voice. 
The melody is sung slowly, as will be seen by the metronome mark 
(J =80), while the drum is rapid (J =132), each beat being preceded 
by an iniaccented stroke. 

No. 170. "I AM Standing till Daylight" 



(Catalogue no. 143) 



Sung by Gi'wita'bines 
Voice J =126 
Drum J=z 132 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. 143 ) 




li-dit 



:ti!; 



^=:^: 



=1: 







^F^±^E^&s^£ESE=5E=FS: 



Vrg^. 




Ke-ga-be-di-bik 



wa-buD - ni 



ka - pa - wi - yan 



Kagabedibik'. I who all night long 

Wa^bunika'baniyan^ Am standing up until daylight 

Analysis, — In the six repetitions of this song the words occur only 
twice, and are used in two different portions of the melody, showing 
the freedom with which words may be omitted from or introduced 
into moccasin-game songs. The sharj:) interjected tones in the sixth 
and twelfth measures undoubtedly represent the exclamations given 
when a score is made. 

In this song the metric unit of the voice is slower than that of the 
drum, a peculiarity of many songs which combine the element of 
restraint and control with the element of physical excitement. 



DENSMOKKl 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



191 



Mocca^in-fjame Songs — Red Lake Beservation 

Mki.odic Analysis 
TONALITY 



Major tonality. 
Minor tonality. . 



Number of 
soncs. 



CiitaloL'iie numbers. 



None 

9 133, 134, 142, 143, 144, 148, 1.5C, 
171, 174 



TONE MATERIAL 



Second five- toned scale 

Octave complete except si.xth. 
Other combinations of tones. . 



Total. 




133, 134, 142, 148, 150, 151 

143, 144 

174 



BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the twelfth.. 

Beginning on the fifth 

Beginning on the octave. . 
Beginning on the tonic a . . 
Beginning on the seventh. 

Total 




2 


133, 


142 




3 


143, 


148, 


171 


1 


174 






2 


144, 


150 




1 


134 







ENDINGS OF SONGS 




9 








ACCIDENTALS 


Songs containing no accidentals 




9 






FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression upward 

First progression downward. 

Total 



133, 142, 144, 148, 150, 171, 174 

134, 143 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Beginning on accented portion of measure. 

Metric unit of voice and drum the same. . . 
Metric unit of voice and drum dilferent. . . 
Recorded without drum 



Total. 



150, 174 

133, 134, 142, 143, 144, 148 

171 





Structural Analysis 






Harmonic 


3 

6 


133, 142, 174 


Melodic - 


134, 143, 144, 148, 150, 171 








Total 


9 









The tonic is the lowest tone occurring in these songs. 



192 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 45 



Woman 's-DANCE Songs 



The woman's dance is the favorite social dance among the Chip- 
pewa at the present time. It is said to have been learned from the 
Sioux. Both men and women engage in it; an invitation to dance 
is accompanied by a gift, and the first invitation is usually given by 
a woman, the man returning it with a gift of equal value. The 
dancers form a circle, facing the drum and moving clock- wise with 
a shuffling stej). 

The drumbeat of this class of songs consists of an accented stroke 
preceded by an unaccented stroke about one-third its length. The 
songs show no general characteristics, but most of them are rather 
simple in melody and rhythm. 

No. 177. " I HAVE BEEN Waiting " (Catalogue no. 132) 
Sung by (ti'wita'uines 



VOICK J 



200 
Recorded wiiliout drum 



iiiii 



t=4= 






i^^i 



^-'-t-^ 



^— a^ 



t=^ 



^— * 



I 



'^: 



?:fe:r==1= 



5)- 



-^r-^—9- 






iZ3t 






^ ^ ^ 



3 



11 



— f- — I- — I- — I- —I- i- h 

-\- -m- -m- • •- <& • <s^* 



jE* 



!•— # 



•— rC- 



gg^i^lgggijgggaEiEiijEg 



—P~^-»—» 



^=F=F= 






«--=- 



^: 



^f- ^t- A ^ ^ -#- -^ A -^- 



SEE 



#: 



&:^ 






?--fc^4: 



E=?=..^ 



i^ ^- _^_ ^ ^- 



:4: 



-^— r-» 



SiteE=p3F£ 









^ ^ -#- ^ ^_^l£-^ 



2^1 






n^n 



X^t'- 



::2: 



•-r^— • 



3= 



^ — I 1 ^ -t — • — » ^ — fS^- 

^ =F-FH^B -4--:p:[=dl--^=p^ 



a-.5-Z 



dexsmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



193 



WORDS 

Niu^ima'ce My sweetheart 

MewiciV A long time 

Kibiin' I have been waiting for you 

Gibiic'ayun^ To come over 

Imaai'ayan' Where I am 

Analysis. — These words can be recognized on the i)li()n()<2:r!i])h 
record, but are too indistinct to be readily transcribed. The chief 
interest of the song Hes in the range of the singer's voice and in the fact 
that the intonation is correct on both the highest and lowest notes. 
The song was sung twice f\nd the general progression of the melody is 
duplicated accurately, though some of the note values vary. 



Voice 
Drum 



No. 178. 'Come, Dance" 

Sung by Gi^nawigi'cig 



(Catalogue no. 175) 



: 108 
116 



=9 



( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



^^ -tL 



2- 



S 



2: 



a:^ 



^ 



i 



s 



ts 



^ ^ ^ ^ 

I I i — 



Um-be ui-nig 



>I^=fe^ 



^f 



S 



WORDS 

Umbe' Come 

Ni'mig Dance 

Analysis. — A decided syncopation in the last measures marks this 
song as different from the others. The words are spoken rapidly on 
a melodic tone, as though the dancer turned to some one sitting in 
the circle and urged him to dance, without inteiTU])ting his own song. 

No. 179 

Sung by Gi'wita'bines 



(Catalogue no. 135) 



Voice 



100 



Drum J— 100 

(Druin-rliyihm similar to No. Ill ; 




Analysis. — If this song were more exact in its re])etitions, we might 
attach more importance to its beginning with the chord of A minor 
and ending with the chord of E mmor. 
12692°— Bull. 45—10 13 



194 



BUKEAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY Imi.i,. 45 

No. 180 (Catalogue uu. 141) 

Sung by Gi'wita^binks 



Voice J= 132 
Drum J— 132 
(Drum-rhythui similar to No. Ill) 






d: 



'^^^^^^-^ 



n- 



S'4-^ -^ 



H \ 1 1- 



feEi 



^^' 



:d= 



* ■& 



-s*- 






i2pS3Ef 



-I- I \—»— • • |-g^ 



I 



No. 181 

Sung by Gage'bines 



(Catalogue no. 153) 



Drum ,' - 120 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



SiiiEi^ii^sii^^^iE^^i 



Tl=ft 



-1a 4--P -P-4=-1^ 









3:3^S 



^la 



Stesiliiiii^^^!^^^ 



SS^^iill^ 



-•-• -•- -^-* • •- • • -o- 



;i3Eb=3EE£ 



:=E=Th- 



:^=fc=ti.i£ 



itysEgg-^±g=^g|:a=^^=[ 



jiig±rg=:g=_*=|!±=g=i 



Ti*^=3 



=i§j 



e=M: 






■I — . 



:p=p: 



:|^^=5_=a:^=d=l 



liiil 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



195 



Analysis. — This soiifji; luis no words. A re})etition was secured on 
the da}" following the first I'enditions. On coni])arison the renditions 
were found to be identical in rhythm and in the accuracy with which 
the accidental is sung. A slight difference occurs in the number of 
times which the first and last phrases are repeated. The rhythm is 
distinctive and is interestingly shown by ''tapping it out" with a 
pencil. 

No. 182 (Catalogue no. 154) 

Sung by Gage^bines 
Voice J — 1 1 2 
Drum J r= 120 
(Drum-rhythni similar to No. Ill) 

-F- -F- -t— -F- -•-• -•- -#- -G>- -»- ^- -ft---0- ^ V 



t£z4: 



-t^-^, 



^If^ 



e^sb^e 



--^- 



2: 



E^E=i 



ii?^P^*M^l-l^iiliSjSi^i 





No. 183 




Sung by John Mark 


Voice J =112 




Drum J= 112 





(Catalogue no. 159) 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 









:a3=:S 



:•=*=*=•_: 



e= 



:a--:^ 



:M=M=^ 3tz3t 



This is the only song given by the singer; it shows a rhythm 
which is simple but very interesting. The only song oifered by a 
singer is usually characterized by peculiarity of rhythm, indicating 
that the rhythm of a song is retained by a mind which does not 
accurately retain the melodic progressions. 



No. 184 
Sung by Gi^nawigi^cig 



(Catalogue no. 177) 



Voice 



92 



Drum J= 116 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 

^ ^ • m. m m 




;9ii3: 



3= 



S= 



ip|] 



196 



BUEEAU OF AMEKICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 185. "Where are You?" (Catalogue uo. 8G) 

Sung by Cagan'asi 



Voice 



96 



Drum J 96 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 







tci - ta to - ki - ya ho kiol ho 





iS^^ 



:t=: 






Oki'lcita'' Leader of the warriors 

Toki^ya Where are you? 

This is an old melody sung at a woman's dance given in special 
honor of some warrior. In such a case two women would provide 
the gifts and act as hostesses. At the opening of such a dance this 
song would be sung by the men at the drum, calling for the war- 
rior in whose honor the dance was given. As soon as the song 
began the warrior would rise and begin to dance; then the two women 
would rise, after which the guests would join the dance. When the 
song was finished the warrior would relate his i)rincipal deed of valor; 
then the women would distribute the gifts they had provided, it 
being understood that they gave these presents in behalf of the 
warrior. 

Analysis . — The accidental in this song was accurately given in all 
the renditions. A sixteenth note accented ami followed by a dotted 
eighth is a rhythmic peculiarity of this song. 

Woman'' s-dance Songs — Red Lake Reservation 

Melodic Analysis 
tonality 



Major tonality 
Muior tonality 

Total . . . 



Number of 
songs. 



Catalogue nuinl)ers. 



3 86, 132, 159 

135, 141, 153, 154, 175, 177 



DENSMOItK] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



19^ 



Melodic Analysis — Continued. 

TONES COMPRISED IN THE SONGS 



, 


Number of 
songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 




3 

1 
1 
1 
1 
2 


80, 132, 1,39 




141 




154 




135 




153 


Other combinations of tones 


175, 177 


Total . 


9 









BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the eleventh . 
Beginning on the octave . . 

Beginning on the fifth 

Beginning on the third 

Beginnuig on the second . . 



Total. 



1 


154 


2 


153, 175 


4 


86, 132, 135, 141 


1 


177 


1 


159 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



Ending on the tonic . 
Ending on the fifth . . 
Ending on the third . 

Total 




G j 80, 132, 141, 153, 154, 175 
2 I 135, 159 
1 177 



FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progressions upward . . . 
First progressions downward. 

Total 



80, 153, 154, 159, 175 
132,135,141,177 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing no accidentals 
Sixth lowered a semitone 



Total. 




86 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Songs beginning on accented portion of measure 

Songs beginning on unaccented portion of measure . . 


8 

1 


86 

80,135,141,1.59 
1.53, 154, 175, 177 
132 








Total 


9 








Metric unit of voice and drum the same 


4 
4 
1 

9 




Metric unit of voice and drum different 




Recorded without the drum 




Total 









198 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
Structural Analysis 



(bull. 45 





Number of 
songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 


Harmonic 

Melodic . .. 


None 
9 









Unclassified vSongs 
No. 1S6. Song REFERRING TO AN Historical Incident (Catalosuo no. 139) 

Sun<T l)y (ii'wita'bines 
Voice J= 120 
Drum J - 120 
( Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 



-'^9-4 1 *-^»-' — »-i-|-<g •-; ^— PI-4 — • — • — • — m-^— — I 



Nin -ga-gi - we- wi - ni - gog ma - ui - dog we loe we nin 






ga - gi-we-wi-ui - gog ma-ui - dog 




E§^B?,l5§=f±=:-=?^z= 



^=^^=E=?=^= 



i 



Nin'gagiwe'winigog' They will take me home 

Manidog' The spirits , 

The free translation of the words as given by the singer was as 
follows: "The thunders will take me home whenever I mind to go 
home, my friends, and the wind it will take me home, too." 

Narrative. — This song is based on an historical incident which was related on both 
the Red Lake and White Earth reservations. 

The story as given at Red Lake was as follows: 

Many, many years ago a Chippewa Indian named Djige^weckim' (" traveling on the 
beach of the water") killed the trader's son and was taken to St. Paul for trial. At 



DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 199 

thattimethere was only one house in St. Paul. The man was condemned to be hanged, 
but just as they were going to hang him a terrible storm arose. The clouds were right 
over the tree where he was going to be hung. Lightning struck the tree and the rain 
poured down so that everybody went home. They did not try again to hang the 
Indian and he was allowed to go back to the reservation, where he was made a chief. 
He composed this song while he was a prisoner at St. Paul. 

Analysis. — This song contains only the tones of the fourtli five-toned 
scale on G flat, and ends on D flat, the dominant of the key. The sev- 
enth of the scale, which is the essential tone of tlie dominant chofd, is 
not present in the song and no portion of the song afhliates easily with 
the dominant chord as an accompaniment. Indeed, the only chords 
suggested by the melody, or seeming to be desired by it, are the tonic 
and submediant, thus showing a feeling for the descent of the 
minor third. The repetitions of this song filled an entire cylinder, 
giving am])le time for noting its peculiarities. Th(> transcription is 
from a rendition about midway of the cylinder. 

No. 187. SOXG OF THE BECxGIxa DaXCE (Catalogue no. 149) 
Sung by \Villi.\m Prentiss 
Voice J — 84 
Drum J- 112 

. ( Drum-rhythin similar to No. Ill ) 






--\^- 



Analysis, — This is the begging song which was sung on the evening 
of July 4. Its chief interest lies in the fact that the pulses of voice 
and drum are so dissimilar, each being steadily maintained. The 
pulse of the voice is J =84; that of the drum J =112, preceded 
by an unaccented stroke. The only correspondence is that three 
metronome beats at 84 are about equivalent to two beats at 112. 
If the song were in double time this would be an ordinary rhythm 
of "three against two," Init the fact that the melodv is in triple 
time makes this too complicated for anah'sis; one can only record 
the fact that these are the actual metronome measures of the pulses. 
(Compare analysis of song no. 1.) 

The slight prolonging of the tones marked (• is the same in all the 
repetitions. It is not sufficient to be indicated by a note value, but 
gives a peculiar effect of ])leading. This is one of the mannerisms 
of Indian singing which can not be accurately transcribed. 



200 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



I BULL. 45 



No. 188. Song of the Begging Dance (Catalogue no. 170) 

Sung by Wabezic' 



"Voice ^ 



200 



Dkum J = 88 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 



-^ -^ 



^i 



:&. 



2Et 



4=- 






:P« 






fc^ 



SEEE^aS^ 



^ 



hz 




:^i| 



=f== 



fc^: 



=F=^ 



=f= 



d=r= 



n 



Analysis. — This song is of special interest as the phrase rhythm of 
the first six measures is repeated in measures 6-12 and the remain- 
der of the song contains fragments of the same rhythm. In the 
repetitions of the song the rhythm of the first twelve measures is 
accurately repeated, but there is a slight variation in the length of 
some unimportant notes near the close. 

In transcribing the song it was difficult to find the metric unit; 
how^ever, this unit was finally found to be / = 200. By this meas- 
urement the song was very accurately divided, certain tones having 
exactly one beat, others two or three, after which the tones readily 
grouped themselves into measures. The drum was next tested and 
found to be beating very regularly a triple time with an accented 
beat on the first and an unaccented on the third count of the triplet 
of eighth notes. The metronome showed the pulse of the drum to 
be J =88. The accent bell of the metronome was then set at a triple 
time and the indicator at 200 and the time space noted between the 
accents as given by the bell. This time space was almost exactly 
88; therefore if the song were in triple time throughout, the drum 
and voice would coincide, but this synchronism is broken by the 
introduction of measures in dQu]:)le time while the drum continues to 
beat in triple time. 

It is worthy of note that the A sharp in the fifth measure was 
always given correctly, but that the intonation on the fourth of the 
scale was flat, thus dragging down the third when reached. 

The intonation of the octave was clear and correct. 



densmore] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



201 



No. 189. Song of Thanks for a Gift (Catalogue no. 168) 
Sung by Wabezic^ 



Voice J =72 
Drum <J=72 



gi^ 



Si 



:2: 



IeeMi 






iH^^^ 






F£ 



-/• — ^- 






T=P- 






-(2_ 



-z^i- 



i 



Tci'wawicSn^diim I am very grateful 

En'dodawicF For what he is doing for me 

Analysis. — These words were not suno; but were spoken between 
the repetitions of the sono;. The drum was struck only once in a 
measure and always followed the voice. 

The long notes were sometimes held an extra count. This is 
unusual, as the long notes are usually found more uniform than the 
short notes in the repetitions. 

The record is not entirely clear, but it is evident that the first part 
is major and the last })art minor in tonality. The B flat is always 
taken firmly and accurately, the first E flat being slightly too high 
and the second one on true pitch. It is interesting to note that the 
change from major to minor is made on B flat instead of E flat. 

No. 190. Song of Thanks for a Gift (Catalogue no. 1(j9) 

Sung by Wabezic' 
Voice -'^ = 160 



Drum 



80 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill ) 
•- -•- -•- -^ • -• 

C^ . u o "^ '^ '^ ' - '^ t- 


ft. 


-•- 


r 


f-f- 


r'* ^ 




-^.]p^ 1 ' ^ 


V^ ^ ^ 


H '^— 






1 


-^b474 


k 




— 




— .- 





iBzrl2= 



-^_i— (f_(t_, ^—^ 



§=t=& 



;4: 



:t^ 



S^ 



^ 



a=d==i 



=H 



I 



202 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[biill. 45 



Analysis. — This sono; was sung four times, the rhythm being exact 
in the repetitions. The pulse of the voice is ^ = 160 and is steadily 
maintained in both double and trijile measures, while the drum as 
steadily beats a triple time at J. (dotted quarter note) =80, giving 
an accented beat on the first and an unaccented beat on the third 
count of a triplet of eighth notes, regardless of the voice. The song 
has no w^ords and is similar to no. 189. 

No. 191. wSoNG OF Thanks for a Pony (Catalogue no. 136) 

Sung by Gi'wita'bines 
Voice ^ = 76 



Drum 



96 



(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 




Analysis. — This song has an interesting rhythm, suggesting, though 
somewhat remotely, the galloping of an Indian pony. It is of minor 
tonality though lively in general character, showing that the rhythm 
of a song marks its character more strongly than does the tonality. 
The tones of the minor triad in ascending progression constitute an 
unusual opening for a song. 

No. 192. Friendly Song (a) (Catalogue no. 160) 

Sung by Wabezic^ 
Voice J — 80 
Drum J = 80 



m^ 






1& 



m 



t=P=p: 



=Lt^5^ 



F-5-:^: 






3^ 



:P:=t 



-•v-^-f-Hi^ 1- » 






^ziMuL 



^d: 



This is one of four "friendly songs," the others being nos. 193, 
194, and 195. The singer said that they were used in the old times 
among the Pembina Chippewa, when a company of people went to 
a dance, to show that they came as frientls. The singer had him- 
self sung these songs in the old days. He said that some of the 
visiting Indians smoked their pipes and that back of them stood the 
men who sang these songs to assure the people to whom they had 
come that they were friendly. There were no words, but he said 
the people would know the song was meant to be friendly by the 
way in which it was sung; he said also that there was a "friendly 



DknsmoreI 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



203 



way to beat the driim." It was stated further by the singer that 
this sono; was i)iire Cliippi^wa and that no Sioux songs were used 
by the Peml)ina band. 

Analysis. — Too much importance must not be attached to the 
fact that this song begins in the minor and merges into the major, 
for, although given accurately in the first rendition from which this 
is transcribed, the intonation is faulty in the other renditions. The 
rhythm in the last eight measures is always accurately repeated. 
The drum is in even beats of the same j^ulse as the melody but always 
stmck slightly after the tone is sung. Tlvj chief interest of the song 
lies in the occasion of its use and in the accurate repetition of a 
peculiar rhythm in connection with a much less accurate repetition 
of the melodv. 



No. 193. Friendly Soxg (h) 
Sung by Wabezic' 



(('atal(.<jue lui. 1(52) 



Voice 



Drum 



- 92 
92 



ft-^ ^ 




^^E^:a=s^=^^^=^ 



5E& 



^ 



I-we-di £;i 




^* 



•-ti—^ 



WORDS 

IweMi Over there 

Gicigoii' In the sky 

Ni'cawe'nimigo' They have taken pity on me 

This song is a march and is sung while the visiting Indians walk 
around the drum. It is used directly after song no. 192. The drum 
is in single beats to mark the time as the men march and has the 
same metric unit as the voice. 

Analysis. — This song has a wild freedom about it and is very 
interesting. It was sung four times, the rhythm being repeated 
exactly but the melody varying slightly. The intonation is good and 
the song aggressively major in character. The descent of the minor 
third is conspicuous throughout this melody and there is no interval 
in the melody which is larger than a major third. It is also worthy 
of note that the second of the scale is treated as a passing tone, 
except in the third measure from the last, where it receive:^ an accent. 



204 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 

No. 194. Friendly Song (c) (Catalogue no. 163) 

Sun" In' Wabezic' 



Voice J= 116 
Drdm J= 116 

(Drum-rhyLlim similar to No. Ill) 
-# . -^ ^ m » -f- f- # 




iQlg— ^^-^— ^ ^~ f 






« — ^ — • — j- 

^ 1 i *- 



=^ 



B=S: 










Ci - clg ni - mi-no- ta - gwfiu 

-5 




Gi^cig The sky 

NimTnota^gwfln Loves to hear me 

This song follows no. 194, tho visiting Indians beginning to dance 
as they sing this. 

Analysis. — Emphatically major in tonality, this song is character- 
ized by the frequent descent of the minor third. There is no descend- 
ing interval larger than the major third. Like the two preceding 
examples, this melody contains an indefinable element of freedom. 

The quadruple time is unusual, and the 5-4 rhythm unmistakable. 

No. 195. Friendly Song (</) (Catalogue no. IG4) 

Sung by Wabezic' 

This is the same kind of song as the preceding, and as the Indians 
would dance while singing it, the record was made with the same 
vibration of voice, adding to the difficulty of transcription. 

The intonation in this song is uncertain, yet the prevailing descent 
of the minor third is unmistakable and the song contains no descend- 
ing intervals larger than the major third. There are three complete 
records of the song and in each there is a feeling toward a major 
tonality in the first half and a minor in the last half, but the voice 
is too unsteady to permit analysis of this. 

In one of the records there are two counts in the third measuie 
followed by three in the fourth. This change is immaterial except as 



densmokk] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



205 



it shows that the singer felt it necessary to put five counts into these 
two measures. Throughout this song the drum is very perceptibly 
behind the voice. 

This song is of value chiefly because of the frequent descent of 
the minor third and of the clearness with which the drum f oho ws the 
voice. 



Voice 



Drum 



: 120 
120 



H — s' — ^- " 



■ BSEEEE 



i: 



f^F 



'^ 



^^^Ek 



:i:, 



ft — w^n-^. 



't=A\A. 



n—n^ 



pf^ 



-+-+- 



p • 



tS=t 




-Rfi 






.^r ^f.- • .^ 


-p- 


« m 


^ 


J — ^ — 1 — 

H-J 


-f— 1 




^^-f 


. m ■ * 1 ^ 


-\—m . m » — V^—m- 


^[ — 






. -• • 


•1 
— 1 


_^_t 


S^^j^f=FF- 


-tL.,S^^=hU^ 




4^^ 


— •— 


-•-■'-^^^ 


^J 



mt 



No. 196. Song Referring to a Vision (Catalogue no. 138) 

Sung by Gi'wita^bines 
Voice J =116 
Drum J= 116 
(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 

X- 



tw^ 



X^- 



.p= 



lEE 



p—» — p— • 



sfete 



•— 1» 



1 1 1 Ti 1^1 ^ I ^ a — ^ ^ 



:i...^Ui^tl:4: 



^-^ 



I 



.Wa'wia'weye'gancut' Round-hoofed 

Gicawe'nimik^ Had pity on me 

Analysis. — The singer said that he learned this song from a Mille 
Lac Chippewa many years ago. The record was played for an Indian 
at White Earth, and he recognized the song at once. The words refer 
to a vision of a round-hoofed animal which probably appeared to the 



206 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BUI.L. 45 



singer in a dream. The words are crowded into the first two measures 
of the music. They can be recognized, but contain many interpolated 
syllables, and are too indistinct for transcription. 



Voice J*^= 208 
Drum ^f^:= 116 

(Drum-rhythm similar to No. Ill) 
• • • ^ ^ 



No. 197. Song of We'nabo'jo 
.Suug by Ga'tcitcigi^cig 



Ul 



(Catalogue no. 272) 



-ft- ^ 



G6 - so - a - in - a, - a - b! - ke-gwfiu 



^— ^— P— ^ 



:t=tr-^=t-4mr=t 



r-^— ?_- 



ffo - ma -mic -kfic 



.^_^_ 



t^=t=P: 



gi -cig-wen a 



yu we he he yu we he he yu we he he 



WORDS 

Ke^goinabikegwin/ Don't look 

Ge'gamamic^kwuc Or your eyes 

Gi'cigwen' Will always be red 

This song is connected with a favorite folk-story in which We'na- 
bo' jo invites the ducks to dance, telling them to keep their eyes shut, 
and then wrings their necks one after another. The phonograph 
record is supposed to reproduce the event, even the cries of the ducks 
being given by the singer. Before beginning the song tlie singer 
said: "I am arranging to have a dance, my little brothers and sisters." 
After the first rendition he said, "Dance, dance, dance faster, my 
little brothers and sisters, but don't open your eyes." After the sec- 
ond he said, "How, how, take warning, my little brothers and sisters." 
This is mentioned to show the Indian custom of interspersing the 
renditions of the song with short speeches. 

Amdysis. — This is one of the few songs in 5-4 time. It is 
plainly distinguishable from a triple measure followed by a double 
measure. The metric unit is unusually rapid. Repetitions of this 
song by other singers are found to be identical. 

Unclassified Songs — Red Lake Reservation 
Melodic Analysis 

TONALITY 



Catalogue numbers. 



Major tonality 

Minor tonality 

Beginning minor and ending major 
Beginning major and ending minor 

Total 




139, 162, 163, 169 

136, 138, 149, 164, 170, 272 

160 

168 



densmoke] 



CHIPPEWA MUJIC 

Melodic Analysis — Continued. 
TONE MATERIAL 



207 



Fourth flve-toned scale 

Minor triad 

Octave complete except sixth . . . 
Octave complete except seventh . 
Octave complete except sixth . . . 
Other combinations of tones. . . . 



Number of 
son^s. 



Cata!o,s,'i:e numbers. 



139, 162, 169 

272 

138, 164 

l(i3 
UU 
13(i, H','. lliO, 168 



Total. 



BEGINNINGS OF SONGS 



Beginning on the fifth. . . 
Beginning on the third. . 
Beginning on the tonic a. 
Beginning on the octave. 
Beginning on the fourth. 

Total 




138, 119, 162, 163 

139, 160, 164, 168, 170 



Ending on the tonic. 



Ending on the fifth. . 
Ending on the third. 



ENDINGS OF SONGS 



136, 149, KiO, 162, 163, 164, 168, 

272 
138, 139, 169 
170 




FIRST PROGRESSIONS 



First progression upward 

First progre.'jsion downward. 



136, 138, 169, 170, 272 

139, 149, UiO, 162, 163, 164, 168 



ACCIDENTALS 



Songs containing accidentals . . . 
Songs containing no accidentals . 



None 
12 



Rhythmic Analysis 



Beginning on unaccented portion of measure. 
Beginning on accented portion of measure 



Metric unit of voice and drum the same. 
Metric unit of voice and drum different . 



Total. 



139, 149, 170 

136, 138, ItiO, 162, 163, 164, 165, 
ItW, 272 



138, 139, 160, 162, 163, 164, 168 
136, 149, 169, 170, 272 



a This song begins on the tonic, a port ion of the melody being above the keynote and a portion below it. 



208 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
Structural Analysis 



[bill. 45 





Number of 
songs. 


Catalogue numbers. 




2 
10 


162, 272 


Melodic 


136, 138, 139, 149, 16tf, 1G3, 164, 
168, 169, 170 




Total 


12 









Voice J= 108 
Drum J=: 108 



^- 



s^-^. 



• No. 198. Dream Song 

Duplicate of no. 115 (Catalogue no. 209) 
Sung by Ki'ose^wini'ni 



(Catalogue no. 108) 



m^^ 



:e=r 



1 ^i_i — — ^^j — mrz "^-^r 



*=w 



u^ 



:#--*■ 



m 



%- 4 4 • ± . 



-4 — ^-^ - 



4—-4—S 



;iEEE^ 



:b=: 



B& 



A - bi - ta - c:i 



^^ 



-^-P'- 






-0 1 » 1 •' 



mm 



gun ba-de- bwe - we - wi - dun ba - a - da - ya - wi-yan a i 






^ — 4— 4 






4—4-4^4 



s: 



a 



ya a i ya ya i a yo hi yo hi 

-0- -0^ir^ '^ -•- -#-3 



^E'^ 



-•-•-!-•- 



X- 



^^ 



-0—0-0-^-\- 



EE^g 



^ 






^ 4— a 



- 4 4- 



^—4-4 



si- 



This rendition was by a younger singer and is less complete than 
no. 115, plainly showing the manner in which a song is slightly 
changed. This record was made more than a year previous to the 
other, and the duplication was accidental. 



DEXSMORt:] 



CHIPPEWA MUSIC 



209 



Two renditions of this song were secured from Ki'osc'wini'ni, one 
without the drum, and, after a lapse of several months, another with 
the dmm. The rhythm of the song is identical, but the less impor- 
tant melody progressions vary slightly as the singer was inspired to 
elaborate somewhat. This transcription is from the first record and 
is believed to be more correct than the second. 

No. 199. Song of Thanks for a Pony (Catalogue no. 137) 

Duplicate of no. 152 (Catalogue no. 02) 
Sung by Gi'wiTA^BiNES 
Voice J =96 



Drum 




tt 



— ^— -• — ^-^-•-•-C*- 



jli^=i5s3i 3^E[| g^j^ ^| 95=gE£^g|Ei^ i 



l;fe:ft 



-C-=- 



1^^ 



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This duplication was made by a singer on the Red Lake reservation 
who was particularly free in his manner of singing. The original was 
made at Leech Lake. The song is evidently the same, the principal 
differences being due to the personality of the singer. 



No. 200. Love Song 

Duplicate of no. 138 (Catalogue no. 107) 
Sung by Gi^wita'bines 
Voice Jz= 116 
Kecorded without drum 



(Catalogue no. 145) 



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ken 



This and the two preceding songs are not included in the analysis of 
Red Lake songs, as they have been anal^^zed in a previous section. 

Cvimparison of the two transcriptions will show the differences to 
be very slight, although the records were made on widely separated 
reservations. 

12692°— Bull. 45—10 14 



IISTDEX 



(For a list of tlie songs contained in this volume, see pages xi-xix.) 



Accents— 

in drum rhythms of dances 

tones slightly prolonged 

variations on first words of songs 

Accidentals— 

characteristics of, in Mide' songs 

classification explained 

comparison with diatonic tones 

in dream songs 137 

in love songs — 

Red Lake res 185 

White Earth res 156 

in moccasin-game songs — 

Rod Lake res 191 

White Earth res IGO 

in unclassified songs — 

Red Lake res 207 

White Earth res 160 

in war songs — 

Red Lake res 

White Earth res 

in woman's-dance songs 197 

rare in Mide' songs 18 

tabulated analyses 10, 117 

Acknowledgments by author 8,15 

A'gwitO'wigi'cIg, songs by, 79, SO, 145 

Aki'waizi', songs by 138,158 

Ata'diwin'ina'gCmo'wIn. See Moc c a s i n - 

game songs. 
Awi'hinedja', teacher and leader in Mlde'- 
wTwTn 27 



181 

147 



Bear, associated with Mide' 

Beaulieu, G. II., acknowledgment to 

Beaulieu, Rev. C. II., acknowledgment to. 

B E 'CIg WI WI 'Z ANS— 

song-drawings made by 

songs by 37,39.45,46,47 

Begging dance, character of 

Beginnings of songs— 

love songs — 

Red Lake res 

White Earth res 

moccasin-game songs- 
Red Lake res 

White Earth res 

taljulatcd analyses 

unclassified songs- 
Red Lake res 

White Earth res 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 

White Earth res 

woman's-dance songs (Red Lake res.) . . . 



38 

8 
8 

15 

83~8(i 
171 



185 
150 

191 

100 

9,116 

207 
165 

181 
147 
197 



Bois Fort res.— Page 

as source of songs 1 

conditions on 13 

Bones, use of in curing sick 120 

Bureau of American Ethnology, deposi- 
tory of song records 27 

Cagan'asi, songs by 164, 165, 196 

Carl, John C, translation by 24 

Ce'deens', Chippewa juggler 123 

Celebration on Red Lake res. (July 4, 1908), 

description of. 166-173 

Ceremonial songs (Mide') 62-82 

characteristics of certain songs 75 

difficulties of translation 62,63 

major triad with sixth added 63, 67 

partially formed five-toned scale 67,71 

principal interval descending minorthird . 63 

Ceremony (Mide') for dying chief 51-55 

Charms (Mide')— 

love-charm songs 88-92 

method of working 20-21 

song to liring back runaway wife 97 

Chippewa— 

religion. Sec Mide'. 

significance of music to 1 

See also Mille Lac Chippewa. 
Chippewa reservations, description of. . . . 1 

CiCl'GWAN— 

description 11,12 

use in initiation ceremony 48 

CImau'ganIc, named in war song 145 

Classification of material, explanation of. . . 7 

Costumes, Fourth of July celebration 168-169 

Courting flute. See Flute. 

Dahomey songs, reference to 130 

Dances— 

at end of initiation ceremony 50-51 

drum rhythms of 6 

during ceremonial song 05 

Fourth of July celebration — 

begging dances 171 

war dances 168-170 

woman's dances 171-172 

in ceremony for dying chief 54 

social — 

ceremonies on opening 145-146 

drum used in 11 

Dance songs of MIde'— 

description 19 

principal interval of descent 31 

reference to 15, 40 

211 



212 



INDEX 



De'bwaw£n'dOnk— Page 

acknowledgment to 25 

on rendering of Mide' song 13 

songs by 55-62 

song-drawings made by 15 

Deda'bicac', songs by 113 

De'dadj, reference to 79 

DuTONic TONES. See Tones. 

Dja'sakid— 

meaning of term 20,119 

rattle used by 12 

See also Doctor, Juggler. 

D JIGE'weckCn, song by 198-199 

Doctor, songs of the 119-123 

See also Dja'sakid. 

Dog— 

eaten in ceremonial feast 37, 40 

eaten in ceremony for dying chief 52-53 

Drawings for Mide' songs, general descrip- 
tion of 15-18 

Dream songs— 

afterward used as war songs or other- 
wise 126-136 

associated with certain animals 126 

minor triad with minor seventh. . 130,132 

general description 118 

song and performance of juggler 123-125 

songs of the doctor 119-123 

tabulated analyses 8-11, 136-137 

Drum— 

as an accompaniment of voice 5, 6, 20, 58 

description of 11-12, 54 

independent of voice 5-6,15,20 

in dream songs 118 

in moccasin-game songs 12, 156-157 

in war songs 137, 177 

principal rhythms 6 

See also MJtl'gwaklk'. 

Ellis, on the five-toned scales 3 

Endings of song.s — 

indefinite in primitive music 59 

love songs- 
Red Lake res 185 

White Earth res 156 

moccasin-game songs- 
Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 160 

tabulated analyses 10, 116 

unclassified songs- 
Red Lake res 207 

White Earth res 166 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 181 

White Earth res 147 

woman's-dauce song (Red Lake res.) 197 

English, Mrs. Mary W arren— 

acknowledgment to 8 

as interpreter 21 

song by 150 

Evil charms. See Charms. 

Feasts— 

at ceremony for dying chief 52, 53, 55 

at end of initiation ceremonies 48 

at Fourth of July eeleliration 171 

Fillmore, Prof. J. C, cited on tonality in 
Dahomey songs 130 



First progression. See Progressions. Page 

Five-toned scale. See Scale. 

Flat Mouth (father), reference to 51 

Flat Mouth (son), last hours of 51-55 

Flute, description of 11. 12 

Flying man, story of Ma 

Funeral ceremony for chief 54-55 

Ga'gandac', songs by 125,126-133,139-141,159 

Gage'bInes— 

account of 175 

songs by 182, 183, 184, 194, 195 

Ga'tcitcigi'cIg, songs by. . 142-144, 154-155, 162, 206 

GEGWE'nJIWE'BINOS', sougs by 111,112 

Ge'.viiwOnac'— 

leader in ceremony 51 

songs by 95-96, 114-1 16 

Gi'ciBANS'. song by 146 

Gifts exchanged at dance 172 

GiLFU.LAN, Rev. J. A., acknowledgment to. . 8 

Gl'NAWIGl'CfG — 

account of 175 

songs by 177, 178, 188-189, 193, 195 

Gl'WITA'BINfiS— 

account of 173-174 

songs by 176, 

177, 178, 179, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 
192, 193, 194, 198, 202, 205, 209 
Granp Medicine. See Mide'. 
Grand Medicine Society. See Mlde'wlwln. 
Grave of chief, description of 55 

Hand, Dr. Ferdinand, on singing fourth 

and seventh of scale 4 

Harmonic, explanation of term 8, 11 



Healing songs, rhythm of 

Helmholtz— 

on scale terminology 

reference to 

Hunting at night, use of light in 

Indian music, general character of 

Initiation into Mlde'wlwln — 

first degree 

combination of song and ejaculation. 

concluding rites 

council of initiators 

decorations of medicine pole 

details of " shooting" candidate 

differences for several degrees 

feasts 

instruction of candidate 

preliminaries 

preparations for 

procedure in sweat lodge 

songs used while "shooting" candi- 
date 

source of information 

transition from ceremonial speech to 

song, etc 

sixth degree, songs for 

to cure illness 

Interpreters, acknowledgment to 

Intervals — 

major third, largest interval in certain 

song 

minor third- 
descending, frequent in Chippewa 
songs 



24-51 
45-46 
46-48 

29 

36 
43-44 

25 
33,48 
32,67 

25 
32.33 
2.5-26 

19 
24 

43 

55-82 
92 



4-5 



INDEX 



213 



Intervals— Continued. Page 

minor third— continued. 

in ceremonial songs 63 

in war songs 141 

largest Interval in certain songs. 85,141,178 
most frequent interval of progression 

in certain song 30 

principal interval of descent in certain 

song 31 

second, in war song 138 

simple in MIde' songs 18 

standard of measurement 4 

whole tone between seventh and eighth. . 164 
Intox.\tion— 

general discussion 4-5 

variations in MIde' songs 19,20 

I>rVIT.\TIONS— 

to ceremony for dying chief 52 

to initiation ceremony 37 

Jiwa'bikito', acknowledgment to 25 

Juggler— 

performance described 123-125 

song of the 125-126 

See also Dja'sakid. 

Key. See Tonality. 

Keynote, relation of tones to 7 

Ki'osE'wiNi'xi, songs by 153, 162, 208 

Ki'tcimak'wa, songs by 49,50,81,87,152,161 

Krehbiel, H. E., cited as to tonality in 
American negro songs 130 

Leech Lake res.— 

Condi' ions on 1 

scene of ceremony for dying chief » 51 

social songs on 118-166 

songs (ISO) of, tabulated analysis 8-11 

Light for hunting at night 86 

Location of Chippewa 1 

Lodges for use in MIde' — 

arrangement in ceremony for dying 

chief 52 

arrangement in initiation ceremony 39 

construction 36 

See also Mlde'wlgan. 

Loon clan or totem , reference to 142 

Love ch.a^rms. See Charms. 

Love-charm songs 88-92 

Love songs— 

Red Lake res 182-186 

tabulated analysis of 180 songs 8-11 

White Earth res 148-156 

Maix'.\ns (elder)— 

diagram of path of life drawn by 24 

initiation ceremony described by 25 

on leader of initiation ceremonj' 37-38 

Main'ans (younger)- 

doctor songs recorded by 119, 121, 122 

initiation ceremony described by 25 

narrative of song by 126-127 

on origin of his "special medicine" songs. 119 
songs by . 30,31,34,35,40-43,81,106-110,1.38,157 
story of 119 

Major third. See Intervals. 

Major triad in ceremonial songs 63 



Manido' — Page 

forms assumed by 14, 62 

in origin legend of MIde' 21-24 

invocation to 37,57 

of thunder, significance to Indians 129-1.30 

reference 15 

song of the 30 

Manido'gicigo'kwe— 

songs by 91,92,148-149 

song-drawings made by 15 

Mark, John— 

account of 175 

song by 195 

Measure-beginnings, pulse of 173 

Medicinal herbs, songs connected with use of 92 

Medicine bag. See MIde' bags. 

Medicine Pole and stone— 

description of 36 

disposition of 51 

use of pole in ceremony for dying chief. . . 52. 53 

Medictnes — 

songs connected with 15,20,21,96.109 

use in MIde' 20-21 

Mee, Mrs. Charles— 

ackno >vledgraent to 8 

songs by 151,163 

Melodic analysis— 

dream songs (White Earth res.) 136-137 

love songs — 

Red Lake res 185-186 

White Earth res *. 155- 156 

MIde' songs (90) 115 

miscellaneous songs (180) 8-10 

moccasin-game songs — 

Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 159-161 

unclassifled songs — 

Red Lake res 206-208 

White Earth res 165-166 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 180-181 

White Earth res 14tV-148 

woman's-dance songs (Red Lake res.).. 196-198 

Melodic, explanation of term 8,11 

Melody of songs, importance of 2-3, 14 

Metric unit- 

method of indicating 5 

seldom similar in drum and voice 6 

slow in love-chann songs 91 

MiDE'— 

beliefs 13-14, 15 

ceremony for dying chief 51 

description of lodge 22 

diagram representing path of life 24 

emblem 14 

ethics 14, 24. 32 

initiation ceremony of first degree 24-51 

mediums of exerting power 20 

mnemonic system 15-17, 18 

origin 21-24 

purpose 59, 60 

rattles used in 12 

ritual exactness not essential 13 

symbolism 16, 81 

treatment of sick 12, 51-55. 92, 1 li:-120 

use of " medicine" 20-21 

use of vermilion paint 113 



214 



INDEX 



MlDE' BAGS— Page 

contents 51 

description 85 

use in "shooting" ceremony 43-44,53 

MIde' drum, ill ceremony for dying chief 54 

MIde' lodge. See MIde'wIgan. 

MIde' shells. See MI'gls. 

MIde' SONGS— 

affirmation characteristic of 87 

drawings 15-18 

ejaculalions interpolated 41 

general description 14-20 

healing song, peculiar features of 95 

none from Eed Lake res 1 

origin 70 

ownership 2G 

register of women's voices 89, 94 

smallest range in song ] 09 

song sung during preparation of "medi- 
cines" 109 

tabulated analyses S-11, 115-118 

to a rattlesnake 85 

tones discussed 57, 75 

translation of words 8,15 

used in sixth degree initiation 58-59 

MiDE'wiGAN— 

arrangement for initiation ceremony 38-39 

building of 30 

explanation of term 30 

MIde'wikwe', meaning of term 13 

MIde'wini'nI— 

meaning of term 13. 98 

use of charms by , 21 

MIde'wIwin, description of 13 

MiGA'DiwiN'iNA'GOMO'wiN. See War songs. 

Ml'GIS— 

emblem of MTde' 14 

" medicinal " use 53, 74-75, 80. 92 

"miracle" of 73-80 

use in initiation ceremony 39, 48 

Mi'jAKiYA'ciG, songs by 92-93 

MiLLE Lac Chippewa— 

on initiation into MIde'wIwin 24 

song from 205 

Minor third. See Intervals. 

Minor triad with minor seventh. . 130. 132, 142, 188 

MlTi'GWAKIK'— 

description 11-12 

use in MIde' initiation ceremony 20 

See also Drum. 

Mnemonics— 

MIde' songs recorded in 15 

other uses of system 16-17 

Moccasin game— 

description 157 

drum used in 6, 12 

Moccasin-game songs— 

Red Lake res 186-191 

tabulated analysis 8-11 

White Earth res 150-lGl 

MotJLTON, Charles, story of MIde' shells by. 79 

Musical instruments, description of 11-12 

Nae'tawab', account of IGS, 170, 171, 172 

Na'jobi'tCS, ceremonial songs by 62-78 

Na'joi'se, oc'kabe'wis or herald 51 



Narratives of songs — 

child's song of owl 135 

concerning fire 103 

dream (war) song 126-127, 133 

scalp dance 99 

song of crab medicine-bag 102 

song of deserted warrior 134-135 

song of good medicine 101 

song of historical incident 198 

the flying feather 97-98 

two hunting-medicine songs 104-106 

Nass River Indians, reference to 130 

Na'waji'bigo'kwe— 

acknowledgment to 25 

drawings of songs made by 15, 68 

narrative by ; 2I 

songs by 88-92 

translator of song 71 

Negro m usic, reference to 130 

Ne'mIta'maOS', functions of '. '. . 29,43,48 

NiGAN'lniNES', last hours of 51-55 

Ni'Miwt)G'. See Dancing songs. 

Niogi'cIg, reference to 95 

Nita'miga'bo, song by 158 

No'dinOk'wum, accotmt of 135 

Notation, musical, limitations of present 
system 3 

Oc'kabe'wIs— 

fimctions 25, 33, 36, 37, 39, 42, 48 

in ceremony for dying chief 51 

O'deni'gOn— 

doctor's rattle procured from 119 

drawings of song made by 15 

narrative by 27 

songs by 27, 32, 94, 96-106 

Pembina Chippewa, song used by 202 

Pentatonic scales, terms used for 7 

Pequette, Rev. Frank H., songs translated 

by 55 

Phonograph, songs recorded by 3-4, 5, 27 

Pillager band of Chippewa, reference to. . 51 

"Pillager outbreak," reference to 1-2 

Pitch, approach to accuracy in 4 

Prentiss, William— 

account of 175 

songs by 189,199 

Progressions, first— 

downward and upward 10 

dream songs 136 

love songs— 

Red Lake res 185 

White Earth res 156 

moccasin-game songs — 

Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 160 

unclassified songs — 

Red Lake res 207 

White Earth res 166 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 181 

White Earth res 147 

woman's-dance songs (Red Lake res) 197 

Property rights in songs 2 

Punishment of offenders in MIde' 14 



INDEX 



215 



Range of singers' voices. See Voice. Page 

Range, exceptional, of songs analyzed 94, 109 

Rattles— 

description 11,12 

used by-doctor 119 

used in ceremony for dying chief 52 

Rattlesnake , song to a 85 

Recording songs, methods of 3-4, 15 

Red I^ake res.— 

not a source of MIde' songs 1 

peculiarities in songs from 123, 176, 189 

singers 173-170 

social songs on lGG-208 

tabulated analysis of 180 songs 8-11 

Registers of songs by female tenors. See 
Voice. 

Religion. See MIde'. 

Rests, unusual in hunting songs 86 

RhY'O'hm- 

correspondence with idea of song l.'il 

general discussion of 5-0 

in magic songs 18 

in MIde' songs, characteristics of 18-19 

of dream song 127 

of healing song 95 

of war songs 127, 139 

peculiarity in Red Lake war song 178 

principal rhythm of songs unvarying ... 3 

suggestive of Scotch and negro music 176 

Rhythmic analysis — 

dream songs (White Earth res.) 137 

love songs — 

Red Lake res 180 

White Earth res 156 

MIde'songs (90) 117 

miscellaneous songs (180) 11 

moccasin-game songs — 

Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 160 

unclassified songs — 

Red Lake res 207 

White Earth res 106 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 181 

White Earth res 147 

woman's-dance songs (Red Lake res.) 197 

SA'Gn'DiwiN'iNA'GCMo'wlN. See Love songs. 
Scale, five-toned — 

explanation of term 7 

in ceremonial songs 03, 07, 71 

limitations as notation system 3 

Scotch music, reference to 176 

Secondary accent, rare occurrence of 5 

Selkirk, Henry, songs by 133-135,154 

Shells. See Mi'gls. 

"Shooting" of candidate for initiation. . . 29, 43-44 

Signs, special, used in songs, explanation 

of .\ix, 5-6 

Singers, Indun— 

mannerisms 199 

of Red Lake res 173-176 

Sioux, war songs learned from 139,142 

Smith, Rev. George, iiccount of 130 

Social dance, ceremonies on opening 145-146 

Social songs. See Songs. 

Song and ejaculation, combination of 45 



Song.s— Page 

common form of Chippewa songs 151 

general description- 
intonation 4-5 

introduction 1-4 

rhythm 5-6 

stnicture g 

tone material 7-8 

important events celebrated by 1 

list of — 

by catalogue numbers xv-xix 

by serial numbers xi-xv 

manner of closing 59 

MIde' songs- 
additional songs 106-115 

ceremonial songs 62-78 

connected with cure of sick 73,92-96 

connected with rare medicines... 18,90-100 

for initiation into sixth degree 55-02 

general characteristics 14-20 

in ceremony for dying chief 53 

love-charm songs 88-92 

tabulated analyses 8-11,115-118 

to insure success 82-88 

translation 8 

social songs- 
dream songs 118-137 

Fourth of July celebration 100-173 

love songs 148-156, 182-186 

moccasin-game songs 156-101 , 186-191 

singers 173-170, 199 

unclassified songs 101-100, 198-208 

war songs 137-148, 176-181 

woman's-dance songs 192-198 

See also the various groups of songs, as 
Ceremonial songs. Dream songs. Love 
songs, MIde' songs, etc. 

"Spirit power," explanation of term 15 

Sweat lodge, structure and u.se of 25-20 

Syncopations rare in Chippewa songs 57 

Tonality— 

dream songs (White Earth res.) 136 

general discussion 7-8 

love songs — 

Red Lake res 185 

White Earth res 155 

major key for plaintive melody 183 

MIde songs (90) 115 

moccasin-game songs— 

. Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 159 

tabulated analysis ( ISO songs) 8 

uncla.ssified songs — 

Red Lake res 206 

White Earth res 165 

war songs — 

Red Lake res 180 

White Earth res 146 

woman's-dance songs (Red Lake res.) ... 196 
Tone material— 

accented tones in MIde' songs 57 

certain MIde' songs, discus.sion of 75 

diatonic tones compared with accidentals. 5 

dream songs (White Earth res.) 136 

general discussion 7-8 



216 



INDEX 



Tone material— Continued. Page 

love songs — 

Red Lake res 185 

White Earth res 155 

moccasin-game songs- 
Red Lake res 191 

White Earth res 160 

relation to keynote or tonic obscure 7 

tabulated analysis (180 songs) 9 

unclassified songs- 
Red Lake res 207 

White Earth res 165 

war songs- 
Red Lake res 181 

White Earth res 147 

woman 's-dance songs (Red Lake res.) . . . 197 
Tones. See Tone material. 

Treatment of sick in Mide' 12,51-55,119-120 

Unclassified songs— 

Red Lake res 198-209 

tabulated analysis 8-11 

White Earth res 161-166 

VfERMiLioN PAINT used in MIde' 113 

Vibrato in Chippewa singing 4,106 

Voice— 

in MIde' songs, an independent metric 

unit 5-6,15,20 

range — 

female 89,94,146 

male 174 

Wabezic' — 

singer of Red Lake 174-175 

songs by... 179,180,182,188,200,201,202,203,204 

War dance— 

celebration (July, 1908) 168-170 

one of principal drum-rhythms 6 

War drums, description of 11 

War r.ARTY, ceremonies on return of 143-145 

Warren, William — 

anecdote of 142 



Warren, William— Continued. Page 

on Loon clan or totem 150 

reference to 21 

War songs— 

Red Lake res 170-181 

tabulated analysis 8-11 

White Earth res 137-148 

classification 137 

intervals 140,141 

learned from Siou.x 139, 142 

minor triad with minor seventh 142 

oliject of certain song 139 

principal melodic feeling for second . . 138 

Wa'wiekOm'ig— 

acknowledgment to 25 

reference to .. 36 

We'daked'— 

explanation of term 29 

functions 43, 47 

We 'nabo 'jo, character in Chippewa folklore. 92,206- 

White Earth res.— 

conditions on 1 

peculiarity of songs from 123 

social songs on 1 18-166 

tabulated analyses of songs (180) from. .. 8-11 

Wilkinson, Major, U. S. A., reference to. . 1-2 

Woman's dance — 

description 172, 192 

one of principal drum rhythms 6- 

Woman's-dance songs— 

Red Lake res 192-198 

rhythmic peculiarity 196 

tabulated analysis 8-11 

Women as assistants at initiations 2(> 

Words of songs— 

in love songs 148 

in MIde' songs 14-15,58 

translation 8,33 

variations 2, 14, 33 

Za'gimag', functions of 37, 40, 41, 42 



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